Beyond the Thirteenth Hour
by Data Girl 3
Summary: Two years after her original adventure, Sarah is adjusting to a new town and school after her family's recent move. When she receives word that her friends in the Labyrinth are in trouble, she decides to go and help. Reunited with old friends, and a few new ones, Sarah sets off to help save the Labyrinth from ruin. (Re-uploaded)
1. The First Day

The morning sun rose slowly over the treetops, casting its light over the town of Kent, Ohio. In a cozy-looking Dutch Colonial house, seventeen-year-old Sarah Williams was just being woken up by a digital clock radio. As she pulled herself out of her canopy bed and reached for a periwinkle bathrobe draped over the foot of the bed, Sarah cast her eyes across her partially bare room. All her furniture had been arranged to her liking, but all of her personal possessions, such as her posters and collection of books, hadn't been removed from their boxes just yet.

This was Sarah's third day in her new house. Due to her father's recent job transfer, the Williams family had to move away from Upper Nyack, but they hadn't had the chance to actually settle into their new home. Most of the family's belongings were still packed away in the numerous boxes that were scattered throughout the rooms. However, Sarah had still managed to unearth the two framed photographs she kept on her bedside table; one of Sarah with her birth mother, Linda, and another one of her brother, Toby.

Navigating her way around the boxes lining the floor of her new room, Sarah approached the box that contained most of her clothes and began rooting through it, digging out her favorite pair of blue jeans and a cream colored sweater. As she pulled out her selection for the day, she accidently unearthed a small red playbook that had been tucked away inside the clothing box by mistake. When she glanced over at the small book, she paused and slowly picked it up, looking down at the title emblazoned on the cover in simple gold letters. For a long moment, she simply gazed at the book, allowing the memories to come back. It had been two years since her adventure in the Labyrinth. Two years since she'd seen the friends she made there. It was no small understatement to say that she missed them. There were more than a few times when she wanted to go back into the Underground, just to see them. But a few months after Toby was returned to her, it had appeared something had happened. It was if the doorway to that other world had been sealed off, and even when Sarah called for her friends, they never appeared. While a part of Sarah had begun to worry if something had happened to them, she had done her best to convince herself that there was some other explanation as to why she couldn't contact her friends in the Underground anymore.

Sarah's thoughts were soon interrupted by her growling stomach. Turning, she made her way to her bedroom door, but before she could close her hand around the door handle, it swung open. A small figure in a monster mask jumped out at her, letting out an attempt at a fearsome growl. Sarah instinctively took a step backward, but then broke out laughing, pulling the mask off her three-year-old brother.

"Toby, you know Mother doesn't like you running around with that mask on," she pretended to scold. In truth, Sarah could never be stern with Toby; not after what happened on that night two years ago, when she almost lost him because of her annoyance with his non-stop crying, among other things.

"I scared you, I scared you!" Toby announced, visibly proud of himself.

"Oh, yes, that's right," Sarah played along. "You scared me good, Toby." With a 100-watt smile, Toby toddled back down the hall toward his bedroom, laughing happily.

Unable to hold back a smile of her own, Sarah continued on down the hall to the upstairs bathroom to take a quick shower. By the time she had finished and gotten dressed, the smell of eggs cooking had already begun wafting up from the kitchen. Sure enough, her stepmother, Irene, was at the stove, preparing eggs in a skillet. Her father, Robert, was sitting at the table with a filled coffee mug and the morning paper. After sparing a glance at the eggs, Sarah made her way to the fruit bowl and selected a grapefruit.

"Is that _all_ you're having?" Irene asked as Sarah cut the grapefruit in half and sprinkled sugar over the top. "After I went and cooked eggs for you?"

"I like my eggs scrambled, not fried," Sarah replied, glaring at the eggs in the pan, which were over easy, wondering why her step-mother couldn't seem to remember that. She wasn't surprised, however, when Irene immediately changed the subject.

"And don't forget that your father and I expect you back home right after school today," Irene went on. "We'll need your help with unpacking."

"I know, Mother," Sarah sighed in exasperation. Upon hearing his daughter's tone, Robert glanced up from reading the paper.

"Sarah, I know you're still upset about moving," he began, "but I also know that you'll learn to love this town just as much as Upper Nyack."

"Dad," Sarah huffed, "I'm almost eighteen. Why couldn't I just stay behind and start living on my own? I'll just be heading off to college next year anyway, and I already have an acceptance letter from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance."

"So you're still planning on being an actress," Irene noted, her disapproval evident in her tone. For a brief moment, Sarah nearly snapped back, but held her anger at bay.

"Yes, I am," she replied, wondering how many times they were going to have this conversation. "I _like_ acting, and I'm good at it. Everyone on the drama team at my old school, including the drama team's coordinator, said so." Robert, sensing a fight brewing, chose that moment to step in.

"Sarah, we understand that you're heading off to college next year, but that doesn't mean you're able to live on your own right now. You're not eighteen _yet_."

"Fine," Sarah sighed again, this time in defeat. Without another word to each other, Irene left the room to fetch Toby for breakfast while Sarah picked up a backpack filled with notebooks and folders.

"Be sure to have a good day, Sarah," Robert called as she started to head for the front door. Immediately, Sarah glanced back to give her father an irritated look.

"Today's my first day at a new school, Dad," she pointed out.

"Well, who knows," Robert shrugged in sympathy. "You might make some new friends today." In spite of herself, Sarah felt a reluctant smile forming on her face as she walked out the door and began the walk to Theodore Roosevelt High School.


	2. Stacey

When school let out that day, Sarah exited Theodore Roosevelt High School through the front doors, amidst a large group of other students. As far as first days went, it hadn't been a complete disaster. Her new English teacher turned out to be quite passionate about some of the classic playwrights, including Oscar Wilde and Arthur Miller, and Sarah had spent most of her study hall period with her, discussing their favorite plays. In the end, her English teacher had promised to try and have her placed in one of the school's drama courses.

With a smile forming at the thought of getting a spot in a class that interested her, Sarah started to head off in the direction of her new house. Before she could even take ten steps, however, she was halted by three girls Sarah remembered seeing sitting together in the lunchroom that day. The brunette, who Sarah guessed was the leader of the trio, was the first to speak.

"Hello, you must be the new girl, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm Sarah."

"Sarah, huh? It's very nice to meet you," the brunette girl smiled kindly. "Welcome to Kent. My name's Phoebe. These are my friends; Quin and Rosabel." As Phoebe introduced the black haired girl and the red head respectively, they each gave a friendly wave.

"We were just wondering," Rosabel spoke up. "There's this little bookshop not too far from here that includes a coffeehouse. We go there every day after school. Why don't you come with us? Think of it as a _'welcome to the neighborhood_ ' treat, from us to you."

"Actually, my dad and stepmother are expecting me to come home right after school," Sarah explained. "I sorta have to help them unpack."

"It won't take that long," Quin persisted. "You can even call them from the payphone at the bookshop to say you'll be a few minutes late. They couldn't possibly expect you to not try and make some friends, and the unpacking won't be going anywhere."

In the end, Sarah agreed to go along, but only for five minutes. The last thing she wanted was to deal with Irene if she was much later than that.

* * *

At the local bookshop, Sarah finished her call home, thankful that her father had been the one who'd answered. After all, he'd been the one who wanted to see her make new friends, and Phoebe, Quin and Rosabel seemed like nice girls so far. Joining the three girls at their table, she selected one of the four hazelnut Cappuccinos they'd ordered during her phone call. For a while, Sarah enjoyed chatting with the three girls, listening to their overall opinions of the teachers she had, and descriptions of the highlights of the town.

The pleasantness of the conversations came to an end when Quin happened to glance over towards a nearby display of books. Almost instantly, a smirk appeared on her face.

"Hey, girls," Quin whispered. "Check out who's over in the fiction section _again_." When Sarah followed the direction of Phoebe and Rosabel's glances, she saw another girl their age looking though the selection, occasionally selecting a book and flipping through it.

"Oh, what a surprise," Phoebe sighed dramatically with a disgusted tone in her voice. "Stacey's searching for more of her weird books."

"Who's Stacey?" Sarah asked in curiosity, watching as the girl in question continued scanning the books on display for something of interest, tucking her short auburn hair behind an ear as she did so.

"No one," Rosabel dismissed offhandedly. "Just a freak in our year. I wouldn't be caught dead with _her_."

"Who _would_?" Quin asked rhetorically. "No one _ever_ associates with her. Even her own parents didn't want to deal with her. That old carpenter who lives a few blocks away just found her abandoned seventeen years ago and took her in. Probably just out of pity, if you ask me."

"She doesn't look that bad to me," Sarah frowned, starting to gain a dislike for Phoebe and the others.

"That's because you don't know her like we do," Phoebe pointed out. "Let me tell you, Sarah. That Stacy is certifiably insane, without question. When she isn't off somewhere playing chess- most often with herself, because no one wants to be seen with her in the first place- she's hidden away in the back of the library, never straying from the fiction section. And I haven't even _mentioned_ her homework papers. Whenever she turns in a test or assignment, the back is filled with her drawings of these little monsters. Now, what did she say they were supposed to be again? Oh, yeah. Goblins."

"Goblins?" Sarah felt her eyes widen as she glanced back at Phoebe. For a brief moment, her mind went back to that night, when she nearly lost Toby.

"And that's not the worst part," Rosabel continued. "When the teachers tried talking to her about it, trying to get her to read something else, or paint something that's actually _normal_ in art class, she insisted that she couldn't stop. You see, we once eavesdropped on her talking to the school guidance counselor about it. She told him that when she reads all that fantasy crap, she always gets that feeling you get when you're trying to remember something, but the more you try to remember, the more you forget it."

"They'll be carting her off to a mental hospital any day now," Quin predicted. "Imagine, thinking that you can actually _remember_ things like dragons, fairies and goblins. Everyone knows that they don't exist."

"Are you sure about that?" Sarah asked, once again thinking about that night.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Rosabel glanced back at Sarah, a calculating expression on her face.

"Oh, it's nothing," Sarah shook her head, getting up from the table. "Listen, as much as I appreciate your warnings, I think I'll risk hanging around with Stacey."

"Fine," Phoebe replied stiffly. "Just don't say we didn't try to warn you."

Not paying attention to Phoebe's final words, Sarah made her way over to Stacey, who was now flipping through a large, thick book.

"Finding anything interesting?" Sarah asked, trying to strike up a conversation. In response, Stacey turned and glared at Sarah.

"What do _you_ want?" she snapped, immediately defensive.

"Nothing, really!" Sarah assured her. "I was just wondering what book you were looking at, that's all." Stacey fixed Sarah with a suspicious look for a brief moment but then went back to studying the book, in a clear attempt at giving Sarah the cold shoulder. This time, Sarah could make out the title on the front cover and saw that it was an encyclopedia about mythical beasts.

"You're really into fantasy, aren't you?"

"Let me guess," Stacey responded without looking up. "You're here to make fun of me, too." It was more of a statement than an actual question.

"Of course not! Why would I make fun of you for liking something?"

"For one thing, everyone else does," Stacey replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "And besides, I saw you hanging around with Phoebe and her harpies."

"Well, I'm not everyone," Sarah reasoned. "And Phoebe and the others are _not_ my friends." Stacey didn't reply, but started glancing through a second book that focused on Greek mythology.

After Sarah watched Stacey skim through the books in silence for a moment, she tried once again to continue the conversation, hoping to get Stacey to open up a bit more.

"So, do you just read encyclopedias focused on fantasy, or…"

"I read real books, too," Stacey interrupted. "J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Lloyd Alexander, L. Frank Baum, Peter S. Beagle, do you want me to continue?"

"Wow," Sarah laughed, realizing that they'd both read the exact same books. "Do your friends like reading as much as you do?"

"Hmmmph." Instantly, Stacey closed the book firmly and returned it to the shelf, grunting in deride.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Sarah stared, wondering what had caused Stacey to react that way.

"Friends," Stacey hissed as she turned away. "Who needs _them_ , anyway?" In and instant, Stacey stormed off, leaving the bookshop and a baffled Sarah without even a goodbye.

It was a moment before Sarah's confusion wore away enough for her to notice a navy blue drawstring bag with an embroidered owl on the front, which was just lying on the floor. Realizing that it belonged to Stacey, Sarah hurried out of the bookshop to catch her, only to find that it was already too late. Stacey was nowhere in sight. Making a decision, Sarah went back inside and headed up to the clerk behind the checkout counter.

"Excuse me," she asked. "I found this bag on the floor, and I think it belongs to someone who just left."

"Oh, Stacey, of course," the clerk nodded, clearly recognizing the bag. "I see her in here all the time, so I'd recognize that bag anywhere. She and the old carpenter don't live far from here at all. You can easily return her bag in person. All you do is head right when you leave here and go down two blocks. If you wait here for a moment, I can write the address down for you."

"Thank you," Sarah smiled in gratitude, standing back to wait for the clerk to write down Stacey's address.


	3. Wayne

The directions Sarah had received from the bookshop's clerk led her to a small ranch house with a covered porch out front. As she walked up to the front door, Sarah took note of the simple wooden mailbox that featured the name ' _W. Faber_ ' painted onto one side, as well as the large white ash that stood near the house, partially shading the roof with its thick branches. A simple swing made from rope and a plank of wood was hanging down from one of the lower branches.

Stepping up onto the porch, Sarah rang the doorbell. She didn't have to wait long before the door opened and a man with thick blonde hair and wide blue eyes came into view. Sarah was momentarily taken aback that this man was only a few inches shy of five feet.

"May I help you?" the man asked kindly, looking up at Sarah.

"Y…yes," Sarah replied, managing to get past her surprise at his height. "I'm Sarah. I was told that Stacey lived here. She left her bag at the bookshop, and I wanted to return it to her."

"Oh, yes," the man laughed, glancing at the navy blue bag in Sarah's hand. "That's Stacey's bag, all right. Thank you for going through the trouble of bringing it back. I'm afraid Stacey's not back yet, but you're more than welcome to come in for a bit if you want to wait for her. I've just made some tea, and there are some almond cookies in the cupboard.

"No, I don't think that'll be a good idea," Sarah shook her head.

"Ah, won't enter a stranger's home?" the man smiled knowingly. "That's very wise. Your parents obviously raised you to have a good sense of judgment. My name is Wayne Faber, so I'm not a stranger anymore, am I? And since you're clearly taller than I am, I can't pose much of a threat to you."

"I guess you have a point," Sarah admitted, unable to hold back a smile at Wayne's blunt referral to his short stature. "But I can't stay long. My dad and stepmother are expecting me."

* * *

In Wayne's kitchen, Wayne poured some more tea into Sarah's cup while she related her meeting with Stacey in the bookshop.

"That does sound like Stacey," Wayne spoke morosely when Sarah's story was finished. "I'm afraid she's never had the easiest time here. She never managed to get along with the other children at the school. There was always something that made her different, and most children tend to be cruel to those who are different. In spite of all that, Stacey has always been a good assistant in my carpenter's workshop. She has an amazing knack for thinking up new designs when I'm building furniture or constructing new houses. And, more importantly, she's like the daughter I never had."

"Phoebe said that you found her in your yard," Sarah remembered. "Is that true?"

"Yes, it is," Wayne confirmed. "I first came to this town when I was old enough to live on my own. My hometown had too many painful memories for me. See, I lost my younger brother when I was twelve. He was kidnapped, actually. And it was my fault. I was supposed to be watching him when it happened. It was my job to protect him, but I failed. My parents took the loss extremely hard. In the end, it tore our family apart."

"That's horrible," Sarah said. "I'm so sorry that happened."

"Thank you," Wayne replied with a sad smile before continuing with his story. "I moved here to Kent the moment I finished high school, when I was about your age. Once here, I started up a trade as a carpenter. For a while, things stayed the same. Then, seventeen years ago, I was returning home from the lumber store with more wood for my workshop. When I was coming up the walk, I heard a baby crying. When I looked up, there was a baby girl, only three months old, just deposited at the base of that white ash tree out front."

"Someone just left her in your yard?" Sarah gaped in shock.

"I'm afraid so," Wayne nodded. "The police never were able to find out where she came from, or what happened to her parents. Living in this house alone was very lonely, and now there was this little baby, with no one around to take care of her. I couldn't help but see some kind of sign in that. So, after filling out all the necessary red tape and paperwork, I was allowed to take her in and raise her."

Sarah was quiet for a moment, just thinking about what Wayne had just told her, but a sudden noise pulled her out of her thoughts. Turning, she saw a diminutive owl perched in the open kitchen window. The tiny owl blinked his large golden yellow eyes before flying into the kitchen, landing directly on the table and glancing up at Sarah, almost curiously. Wayne promptly fetched a drinking saucer and filled it with water before serving it to the owl, who started drinking without hesitation.

"I've never seen an owl that tame," Sarah noted in amazement.

"Saw whet owls are noted for being tamer than other owl species," Wayne explained. "But this particular owl is Daedalus. He showed up outside one night, just sitting on the porch outside. We think he flew into the window and stunned himself, because he wouldn't fly off, no matter what we did. When he was gone in the morning, we figured he must have recovered on his own and returned to the wild. But ever since then, he seems to consider this place as his roost, as he kept coming back nearly every night. We thought about calling in a wildlife rehabilitator about the matter, but every time someone came by to relocate him, this little owl would suddenly disappear, and wouldn't make another appearance until after the official left. Stacey eventually decided to just name him Daedalus, and, in a way, he's become something of an unofficial pet."

At that moment, the sound of the front door opening caught Sarah and Wayne's attention. Seconds later, Stacey walked into the kitchen, but she stopped in her tracks upon noticing Sarah.

"Um, Wayne?" Stacey glanced over at the carpenter. "Why didn't you mention we had company?"

"Stacey, Sarah here was returning your bag," Wayne gestured to Sarah as he spoke. "You left it in the bookshop."

"Oh. Well, thanks for that," Stacey gave Sarah a brief smile before noticing Daedalus. "Hey, Daedalus." The tiny owl let out a high whistling cry, and flew over to Stacey, landing on her left shoulder and nipping on a lock of her hair in greeting.

"Doesn't his talons hurt?" Sarah asked, wincing at the sight of the talons clamping down onto Stacey's shoulder.

"Not at all," Stacey replied. "I can't feel anything in that shoulder." Taking note of Sarah's tangible confusion, Stacey lightly nudged Daedalus with her finger, who abandoned her shoulder for a thick wooden perch that had been secured to the nearby wall. Once Daedalus was safely positioned on the wooden perch, Stacey pulled down her shirt collar enough to reveal a blotchy blemish positioned along her collarbone. It almost looked like a scar from a third degree burn.

"I've had this burn for as long as I can remember, since before Wayne found me as a baby," Stacey explained. "We don't know what caused it, but whatever it was, it damaged the nerves in my shoulder. You could cleave me through this shoulder with a red-hot poker, and I'd never feel a thing. So Daedalus' talons aren't a big issue."

It was at that moment that a clock on the wall began to chime, signifying that it was four o'clock. Realizing what time it was, Sarah quickly got to her feet.

"Oh, great," she groaned. "I was supposed to be home by now! I gotta go!" Before heading out, Sarah paused long enough to thank Wayne for the tea. Once she was outside, however, she instantly realized that she wasn't completely sure of what direction her new house was.

"You don't know the way, do you?" Stacey asked, appearing in the doorway.

"No, not really," Sarah admitted.

"Okay, then," Stacey sighed, stepping over to her side. "Just tell me your address, and I'll help you find it."

"Really?" Sarah was unable to keep herself from being surprised. This was the same girl who acted defensive at the bookshop, barely giving her the time of day, and now she was offering to help direct her back to her house?

"You returned my bag, didn't you?" Stacey pointed out. "Wayne raised me to always return the favor when someone does something nice for you. Since you brought my bag back, that means I need to do something for you in return. So, let me help you find your way back home. After all, it's probably not easy getting used to a new town."

"Thank you," Sarah smiled, accepting Stacey's offer.

* * *

With Stacey's help, Sarah managed to find her new house without any trouble.

"This is the house you moved into?" Stacey eyed the Dutch Colonial as the two girls headed up the walk.

"Is something wrong with it?" Sarah paused, glancing back at the blue-eyed girl behind her.

"No, nothing like that. This is just one of the houses Wayne helped build, and it's always been one of my favorites. Out of curiosity, which bedroom is yours?"

"The one that's across the hall from the staircase, and a bit to the left."

"Good choice. There's a secret about that room," Stacey announced. "Your closet has a door built into the ceiling. It leads to a small attic room. You could easily turn it into a private room or something like that." Sarah was just about to inquire more about the hidden attic room when the front door opened and Irene stepped out, looking furious.

"Sarah, I thought you were over this," she scolded. "I told you that your father and I needed help with the unpacking. I gave you a little more time to come home since you called and said you were going to be a few minutes late, but that was well over an _hour_ ago." Sarah started to open her mouth to explain, but Irene cut her off before she could begin. "No, I don't want to hear it! You were supposed to come home right after school…."

"Please, Mrs. Williams," Stacey suddenly interrupted, stepping forward. "It really isn't Sarah's fault. I mean, you just moved here, so she doesn't really know her way around just yet. With all due respect, you shouldn't blame her for getting lost."

"Yeah, that's right," Sarah agreed, pretending Stacey's story wasn't new to her. "If I hadn't run into my new classmate, Stacey, I'd probably _still_ be going in circles."

"I see," Irene nodded, seeming less stern as she glanced over at Stacey. "In that case, thank you for helping Sarah get back home."

"Yeah, sure," Stacey shrugged, turning to leave.

"Hang on!" Sarah stopped her. "You want to spend the night here?" Ignoring Stacey's sudden look of shock, Sarah turned back to Irene. "That's okay, right?"

"As long as she'll excuse the mess, and doesn't expect anything fancy for dinner. The boxes with most of my pots and pans are still buried at the bottom of the pile."

Once Irene had gone back inside, Stacey frowned at Sarah.

"And when were you going to ask if I _wanted_ to spend the night?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. "I don't really do that whole slumber party thing, you know."

"Didn't you tell me about how Wayne raised you to repay people?" Sarah smiled. "Well, you repaid me for returning your bag by helping me find my house. Now I can repay _you_ for getting me out of trouble with my stepmother by having you over for the night." Stacey pursed her lips, thinking about this.

"I know I'm going to regret this," she replied finally, "but I can't come up with a good argument for that. Okay, I accept your invitation." Sarah smiled in relief, but to her confusion, Stacey turned and started walking off.

"Hey, where are you going?" she asked.

"Well, if you expect me to spend the night," Stacey called over her shoulder, "I'm going to have to go back home and pick up my toothbrush and a pair pajamas, won't I? Also, I should tell Wayne where I'm going to be."

* * *

 **AN** : I hope everyone is enjoying this story so far. I'm honestly a bit nervous about this story. Reviews are always appreciated


	4. The Return

The leftovers from the pizza that had been delivered were stored away in the refrigerator, and Stacey was now sitting with the William's family in the family room. Because the cable hadn't been set up yet, there was nothing much on TV other than the news, so Toby quickly lost interest and stepped out of the room, returning moments later with a teddy bear.

"'Sarah gave 'im to me," Toby announced proudly, showing the bear to Stacey. "His name's 'Anceot, an' he's my fav'rite."

"Well, he looks like a very nice bear," Stacey replied, smiling at the little boy's attempts at saying ' _Lancelot_ ' and _'favorite'_.

"You got any bears?" Toby asked.

"Um…no," Stacey said, her smile now appearing forced. "I actually didn't have many toys when I was your age."

"'How come?"

"Because the closest thing I had to a Mommy and Daddy was Wayne. The salary of a carpenter doesn't amount to much, so he couldn't really afford to give more than two birthday presents each year."

"All right, Toby," Irene stepped in, seemingly worried that her son might unknowingly be bringing up a sensitive topic with their guest. "Come on, it's your bedtime."

"I'm not 'ired!" Toby insisted.

"Yes, you are," Irene persisted, scooping the boy up and leaving the room.

"No I'm not!" Toby's voice echoed from the staircase.

"Cute kid," Stacey commented casually.

Sarah remained quiet, thinking about how surprising it was that Toby had taken to Stacey so fast. Usually, when someone he didn't know came over, he would spend most of the time hiding behind Irene. But from almost the moment Stacey had arrived with an overnight bag, Toby had been something of her second shadow, showering with questions. This was something Sarah was grateful for, as Stacey had been quite receptive to the small boy's questions, which had helped Sarah learn a bit more about her. For instance, she now knew that Stacey had a strong penchant for owls, that her favorite food was chicken with roasted red potatoes, and that she enjoyed playing chess, and frequently attended meetings of the Akron Chess Club on Saturdays. Robert and Irene had both voiced their surprise at that, given Stacey's age, but she explained that the club allowed junior members as long as they weren't disruptive.

Eventually, Sarah also grew tired of the news report and gave the excuse that she wanted to show Stacey up to her room. A few minutes later, the two girls were heading upstairs.

"I'd offer you a tour of this place," Sarah began, "but you said Wayne helped build it, so you probably know more about this place than I do."

"I'd say that's a bet you'd win," Stacey confirmed as Sarah opened the door to her room.

"Like my stepmother said, we're still unpacking, so most of my stuff is still in the boxes," Sarah explained as they stepped inside, gesturing to the boxes piled in the corner of the room.

"Listen, Sarah," Stacey spoke up. "I understand you want to be a good hostess or something, but it's not necessary. I'm not used to anything better than this. Even with all your stuff packed away, this room is still more furbished than mine."

Before Sarah could reply, the two girls heard a sudden tapping on the window pane. Looking over, they saw the owl, Daedalus perched outside, looking in at them,

"Daedalus!" Stacey exclaimed, promptly opening the window and allowing the small owl to fly into the room.

"What's he doing here?" Sarah gaped as the owl landed on her bed.

"He must have followed me here," Stacey replied, lightly stroking a finger over Daedalus' back. "He's a smart owl, isn't he? He must have known I was here and followed me."

"I just hope my stepmother doesn't come check up on us," Sarah commented, closing the window again, just in case some other animal tried to get in. "If she came in and saw there was an owl loose in her house…." Sarah was cut off by the sound of Stacey's startled shout. Turning back, she saw Stacey staring at the dresser mirror, her eyes wide with shock.

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked, looking between Stacey and the mirror in confusion

"There…there was something in the mirror," Stacey stammered, pointing. "Something…it wasn't even _human_. It was….just looking at me."

"What are you talking about," Sarah asked, staring at the mirror in question. "There's nothing there."

"I'm telling you, there was…an _it_! A giant it! Some sort of…monster, with shaggy brown fur, and…these two huge horns!"

Sarah's breath immediately caught in her throat upon hearing that particular description. In her mind's eye, the image of an old friend began to form; a large, lumbering yeti who was only fearsome in appearance.

"Ludo," Sarah whispered, almost to herself.

"What was that?" Stacey blinked over at the dark-haired girl.

"It was Ludo," Sarah repeated, still not quite believing it.

"What, the board game? What does that have to do with what I just saw in your mirror?"

"No, that's his name. That beast you saw is called Ludo. He's my friend."

"Hang on; are you trying to say that there's a creature living in your mirror? What is this? Through the Looking Glass? Did I just see a Jabberwocky?"

Sarah ignored Stacey's comment, deep in thought. Was it possible that, after all this time, her friends were finally able to reach out to her? What if Ludo was trying to contact her, to ask for help? If that was the case, she had to go back. The question was, how? She wasn't entirely certain how she went there the first time.

"Ludo," Sarah whispered, laying a hand on the glass face of her dresser mirror, closing her eyes in concentration. "I know you're trying to reach me. Please, help me come back."

When Sarah opened her eyes, all she saw was her reflection. Beginning to feel discouraged, she let her hand fall to her side in defeat, but just as she started to turn away, she saw the image in the mirror start to ripple, the way a pond would if someone tossed a pebble into the water. Eyes growing wide in hope, Sarah watched intently as the image in the mirror slowly changed until she no longer saw herself in the mirror. Instead, she was looking at the familiar and massive expanse of the Underground's Labyrinth.

"Okay, time out," Stacey breathed, moving closer to the mirror in amazement. "Is this a trick mirror or something? First the beast and now this? What is going on here?"

Before Sarah could reply, a sudden wind swept through the entire room, growing stronger every second until the two girls had to fight to remain standing.

"What's going on?" Stacey cried, shouting to be heard above the din of the wind as the boxes were pushed around the room and the few objects Sarah had already unpacked fell onto the floor. Sarah was about to give an answer to the question when a particularly strong gust of wind blew them both towards the mirror. Instead of crashing into it, the two girls passed right through the glass, disappearing instantly. Letting out a high, whistling cry, Daedalus spread his wings and unlatched his talons from the bed frame, half flying and half tumbling through the mirror himself. In seconds, the wind dissipated as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Sarah's room in a state of disarray.

* * *

Sarah landed on solid ground, the impact nearly knocking the wind out of her. Seconds later, she heard rather than saw Stacey landing next to her with a low ' _oof_.' After taking a steadying breath, Sarah pulled herself to her feet and began looking around to take in her surroundings. A large smile formed on her face as she recognized the view in front of her. This was it. She was back, standing on the same hill overlooking the Labyrinth where she'd first came to the Underground two years ago. Instinctively, she glanced back at the spot where she remembered Jareth had been standing upon her first arrival to this world. This time, Stacey was the one standing in that spot, with Daedalus perched on the nearby tree.

"What is this place?" Stacey asked, taken aback by the sudden and unexpected change in scenery. "What happened?"

"We're in another world, Stacey," Sarah explained, unable to keep her excitement out of her voice. "You're in the Underground."

* * *

 **AN** : Now that we're back in the Underground, the plot should start to pick up, starting from the next chapter. I hope I haven't lost anyone yet.


	5. A New Task

"What do you mean, 'the Underground'?" Stacey exclaimed, continuing to look around her. "We are not underground; I can still see the sky. Speaking of which, why is the sun so high when it was evening just a few moments ago? And why are we wearing different clothes?"

Glancing down, Sarah saw that Stacey was right. Their wardrobe had indeed been changed when they were brought into the Underground. Back in her bedroom, she had been wearing a striped button up shirt with cuffed sleeves and an ankle length skirt, while Stacey had been dressed in a black tunic top and embroidered blue jeans. Now, Sarah was in the same outfit she'd worn on her first visit to the Underground; the white blouse, patterned waistcoat, and blue jeans. Stacey, on the other hand, was wearing a black crochet tie-front cardigan over a white tank top displaying a broken heart with a pair of leggings.

"That's different," Sarah commented. "I wonder if this has something to do with the magic in this world. Maybe that magic somehow altered our clothing. It wouldn't be the first time something like that happened." The moment she said this, Sarah thought back to the vision she'd had during her last visit to the Underground, when she'd been at a masquerade ball.

"Wouldn't be the _first time_?" Stacey cried, staring at Sarah as if she was crazy. "Do you mean…are you saying you've been here _before_?"

"Yes, I have. Two years ago, Jareth, the Goblin King, kidnapped my brother, Toby. I had to solve that Labyrinth in thirteen hours, or…"

"You'd turn into a pumpkin?" Stacey commented dryly.

"No! Toby would have been turned into a goblin."

"Of course, how silly of me. Goblin King turning babies into goblins. That makes _much_ more sense," Stacey muttered under her breath.

Sarah didn't reply to Stacey's sarcasm and looked down at the Labyrinth.

"I wonder where Hoggle and the others are," she wondered out loud. "I haven't seen them in so long…"

"Well, be sure to stop and have a good cup of tea if you find them," Stacey sighed heavily, walking off. "Nice hot tea with buttered toast. As for me, I'm going to find the gateway, or portal, or whatever I need to go through to get back home."

"Stacey, I don't think it works like that," Sarah called out, beginning to follow after her her. Before she could take ten steps, however, Stacey stumbled over a patch of uneven ground and lost her footing, sliding the rest of the way down the hill. Concerned for her wellbeing, Sarah began to lightly jog the rest of the way down, but her pace increased to a run when Stacey's scream was heard. As such, Sarah reached the bottom of the hill in seconds. The sight waiting for her was enough to eliminate her worry, and a giant smile formed on her face. Standing there was a gigantic beast, one that Stacey was now staring at in terror.

"Ludo!" Sarah cried in happiness at seeing her friend again after all this time. Hearing the familiar voice, Ludo turned slowly in her direction. The instant his eyes fell upon Sarah, his entire face lit up with surprise and pure joy.

"Sarah! Sarah back!" Laughing in delight, Sarah and Ludo hugged each other tightly, completely overjoyed at their reunion. While the hug continued, Stacey slowly got to her feet and dusted herself off, never taking her eyes off the two friends.

"I think I missed something, Daedalus," she commented, stroking a finger down the back of the tiny owl as he took perched on one of the obelisks that dotted the hillside.

"Ludo, where are the others?" Sarah asked when the hug had to end. "Hoggle and Sir Didymus. Are they still around?"

"Hoggle and Brother are in garden," Ludo replied.

"Well, let's go see them," Sarah suggested before heading off with Ludo close behind, Stacey hesitantly following them at a close distance.

Once they'd reached the border garden, Sarah's eyes immediately fell upon the rectangular pond, remembering that this was where she'd first met Hoggle. With a brief wave of reflection, she glanced over at the shrubs growing along the Labyrinth wall, where she could make out the fairies flying around. It was almost amazing how much everything looked the same as she remembered it.

At that moment, her thoughts were interrupted by an aggravated, scratchy voice coming from behind a stone pillar.

"You mangy fox!" the voice cried out. "How many times must I tell you to keep your 'loyal steed' away from my shrubs? That's the tenth time he's dug a hole under my rosebush!" Upon hearing that voice, Sarah almost felt like crying in joy, a feeling that intensified when two more familiar figures came into view from behind the stone pillar, so involved in their squabble, they failed to notice that she was standing there. Like everything else, they were both exactly the same, right down to the skullcap that sat atop the ivory white hair on one, and the patch that covered the other's left eye. It was taking all her restraint to keep herself from running forward and hugging the both of them as tightly as she could, to insure that this wasn't just some wonderful dream.

"Hoggle! Sir Didymus!" Sarah's overjoyed, exuberant cry immediately halted the argument that was going on between the dwarf and the fox, and the two of them gazed up at Sarah in stunned disbelief.

"Our fair maiden," Sir Didymus finally broke the silence. "She has returned!"

"Sarah. I can't believe it." Hoggle whispered, his blue eyes suddenly over-bright.

"I can't believe it, either," Stacey shook her head, studying the two with a raised eyebrow. "First it's the creature from the world of Maurice Sendak, and now I'm looking at the fox version of Don Quixote and the reject from Snow White."

"Everyone," Sarah began, hoping to avoid further harm upon noticing Hoggle had visibly taken some offence to Stacey's comment. "This is Stacey, a girl from my new school, and her owl, Daedalus. Stacey these are my friends, Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and…I believe you've already met Ludo."

"I'll say," Stacey agreed, glancing at Ludo out of the corner of her eye.

"It's good to see you again, Sarah," Hoggle smiled warmly at his friend. "We've missed you."

"I've missed all of you, too," Sarah returned the smile, which faded when she noticed Hoggle's left hand, which had a bandage wrapped around it. "Hoggle! What happened to your hand?"

"Sir Hoggle's hand was injured in the recent goblin attack, my lady," Sir Didymus explained.

"Goblin attack? What do you mean? What's been happening since the last time I was here?" Sarah turned to her three friends in turn, suddenly worried and confused.

"Well, missy," Hoggle replied, "sometime after you left, Jareth lost his mind and became even crueler than he was before. He started sendin' the goblins out into the Labyrinth, tellin' them to bring everyone they found to the castle. At first, the goblin army came infrequently, so it just looked as if they were simply on patrol, which they did often. But as time went on, they started comin' every day, and draggin' large groups to the castle. I've even heard from one of the worms who live in the Labyrinth walls that that Wise Man we met was taken just last week. Do you remember him?"

"Yes, I do. But what happens when they're brought to the castle?" Sarah asked.

"They're sent straight to the dungeons, I believe," Sir Didymus answered. "A great many valiant souls tried to resist, or defend others being taken away, but they've all ended up in the dungeons, too. My guess is that they're still there. Almost everyone who lived within the Labyrinth has been cast into the castle dungeon. Only a small handful of us managed to boldly escape the goblin army."

"Most of those lucky ones have already left the land surroundin' the Labyrinth to escape capture," Hoggle concluded. "The three of us are probably the only ones left, but we were just gettin' ready to leave ourselves. Jareth's rule doesn't extend beyond the Underground's mountains, so the plan was to make our way there."

"I am ashamed to admit that even I am running from a fight," Sir Didymus reflected sadly. "But I also know that Sir Hoggle and my brother will need my protection in their long quest to a new home."

"But now Sarah back," Ludo smiled.

Sarah, however, could not honestly return the smile, and looked over in the direction of the castle. When they'd last met, Jareth had been cruel, but she never would have believed he was capable of taking everyone who lived within the Labyrinth and locking them away in the dungeons. If it had been anyone else who had told her this, she might not have believed it. But the story had come from the mouths of her friends, and she trusted them all with everything, even her own life.

"Okay, so let me get this straight," Stacey finally spoke up. "There's this guy, Jareth. He rules over this Labyrinth, but he's on a total power trip and has imprisoned everyone in his castle."

"I'm going to stop this," Sarah vowed in determination.

"Um, how?" Stacey challenged. "This Jareth person is a king, isn't he? Don't kings usually have armies?"

"For your information, I've dealt with that army before," Sarah explained. "The last time I was here, the four of us, my friends and I, defeated them without too much trouble. We probably can do it again."

"Even so," Stacey shrugged, "why bother? This isn't even your world."

"But it _is_ my friends' world," Sarah argued, beginning to get angry at Stacey's cavalier attitude to the situation. "You're the one who talked about repaying people, weren't you? Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus all helped me save my brother two years ago. Let's see you try and tell me of a better way to repay them other than to help them now." Stacey held eyes with Sarah for almost a minute, but then looked away.

"Poster child for the milk of human kindness, aren't you?" she shrugged, giving in.

"Finally! Onward to battle!" Sir Didymus cried out, swinging his staff in such exuberance, he narrowly missed hitting Hoggle.

"Watch where you're swingin' that thing, will you?" Hoggle snapped, not completely able to keep up his gruff act in the face of seeing Sarah again. "I don't want any more injuries if we're goin' to fight Jareth again."

"Ludo ready! Ludo fight, too!" Ludo chimed in.

"Ambrocious!" Sir Didymus called out to his sheepdog steed, who came bounding up almost immediately. "Come on, now! It's time to go."

"Oh, no," Stacey groaned as Sir Didymus jumped up onto Ambrocious' back. "We're not taking the dog with us. No way."

"Well, of course we're taking Ambrocious," Sir Didymus replied, as if the very idea of leaving him behind was unheard of.

"No, we're not," Stacey argued. "I hate dogs."

"Then stay here, if you want," Sarah suggested. "No one's forcing you to come along. You're allowed to enjoy the garden until we defeat Jareth again. Just…don't get to close to those fairies. I learned that the hard way that they tend to bite." Stacey raised her eyebrows, not saying a word until Sarah and the others entered the Labyrinth.

"I don't believe this," Stacey sighed heavily. For a moment, she stood firm, debating over what to do. Should she follow Sarah or stay put?

From an overhanging branch, Daedalus glanced down at the blue-eyed girl, and let out a high, whistling cry. Immediately, Stacey redirected her attention to the tiny owl.

"Yeah, I know, okay?" she spoke, with the air of someone who had just been nagged. With one last look at the hill where she and Sarah had arrived, Stacey reluctantly began to follow Sarah into the Labyrinth, with Daedalus taking flight after her.

* * *

Within his castle at the center of the Labyrinth, Jareth was reclined in his throne, dressed in his sapphire-blue leather suit, with one boot-clad leg propped over the armrest. His goblin army was completely absent from the throne room at this exact time, so no one was around to witness Jareth's intent observation of the crystal within his hand. With this crystal, he was able to watch as Sarah entered his Labyrinth for the second time, accompanied by her friends. There was a distant expression on his face.

"So, Sarah," Jareth spoke to himself. "You have returned to the Underground once again. Do you think that I will be as easy on you as I was before? I'm afraid to say that you will not find me as generous this time."

Deposing the crystal, Jareth crossed the room to the window, gazing out over the Labyrinth.

"You're out there right now, Sarah, and you're on your way here to face me, aren't you? Perhaps you wish to see me even sooner." With a sweep of his long cloak, Jareth transformed himself into a barn owl. Silently, he spread his wings and glided out of the window, soaring off.

* * *

 **AN** : I struggled a bit with coming up with a good Underground specific wardrobe for Stacey. I hope I did a good job. I've never been very fashion consicious, so forgive me if my clothing choice for her clashes.


	6. The Tarasque

By the time Sarah and the others had made it into the Hedge Maze, dusk had fallen over the Labyrinth. Because of the fading light, they ended up setting up camp in the stone courtyard, near the throne that Sarah remembered as the one the Wiseman had used.

As the group settled in, they began to cook some fruit that Ludo had found over a crude campfire. The fruit, it turned out, was quite good, tasting remarkably similar to tart cherries, but with the faintest hint of cranberries. The five companions ate in silence until Daedalus, who had been swooping around nearby, took up perch on the armrest of the Wiseman's throne, with what looked like a mouse tail dangling from his beak.

"Good hunting, Daedalus?" Stacey asked, a faint smile on her face.

"Stacey," Hoggle spoke up. "Just out of curiosity, why do you keep that owl?"

"Do you have a problem with owls, Dwarf?" Stacey frowned, arching an eyebrow.

"No," Hoggle insisted, slightly hurt that Stacey had called him 'Dwarf' instead of using his name, something she'd been doing from the moment they'd met. "It's just that…it's a rather unusual choice of an animal to keep." Stacey eyed Hoggle skeptically for a few moments, as if expecting him to say something more.

"Well, if you must know," she began, after deciding that Hoggle wasn't going to continue his statement, "I've always liked owls, ever since I was a little girl. Their night vision and hearing is among the best in the animal world. I've even read that they can hear a mouse step on a twig from 75 feet away. Daedalus, however; he's more than just another owl. Many people know that one of the best things about having an animal around is that the animal will never make fun of you, no matter what you tell him. But with Daedalus, you really get the feeling that he's actually _listening_ to what you're saying, instead of just wondering when you're going to feed him next."

"It sounds to me that Daedalus is like your friend," Sarah pointed out. Stacey's face immediately hardened.

"No. He's not my friend," she nearly snarled. "I don't need friends."

"How can ye not want friends?" Sir Didymus asked in disbelief.

"What good are they, anyway?" Stacey exclaimed. "You tell me one good thing about having friends."

"For starters, they're good for looking out for you," Sarah stated. "Friends are the people who never let you down, and are there for you no matter what, even if there's nothing in it for them."

"Sarah helped Ludo," Ludo reminded, sending Sarah a large smile.

"Yes, exactly!" Sarah returned the smile fully. "It's just like the time I helped Ludo when we first met. Some goblins had tied him up and were torturing him, but I stopped them and helped him down. And then, there was the time when Hoggle saved us from a giant robotic monster. _That's_ what a friend is, Stacey. Someone who helps you out when you're in trouble, even if you can't repay them, because it doesn't matter if you do or not. All that matters to them is looking out for you."

"Someone to look out for you, huh?" Stacey replied, keeping her eyes trained on the fruit she was eating. "Guess what? I had someone like that, too. Wayne. And that's because he was the closest thing I had to a father. But everyone else? No one is that selfless that they'd be there for you, just for the sake of it. Take your example, Sarah. You said you saved Ludo, but you also said he helped save your brother, Toby. So, how does _that_ count as looking out for one another without asking for anything in return? No, people only do nice things for you because they don't want to be in your debt. And the sooner you learn that, the better."

Before anyone could come up with a response to that, Stacey got to her feet.

"If you'll excuse me, I think we passed a well right before we entered the courtyard. That fruit made me thirsty." Without another word, she turned and stepped out of sight. Moments after Stacey had disappeared around the corner, Ambrocious began to whimper in fear, backing away from something. Sarah turned to see what had frightened the sheepdog and leapt to her feet in alarm when she recognized the man who was standing there.

"Well, isn't this nice," Jareth announced silkily, smiling cruelly at the looks of shock and fear on everyone's face. "The friends are all together again."

"Jareth," Sarah stepped forward, quickly masking that she was still intimidated by this man. "What's happened to you? I know you were able to be cruel, but I don't think even _you_ could just lock up everyone in the Labyrinth." Jareth's smile grew even wider as he began to circle her. For a moment, Sarah remembered how he'd done the same thing the very last time they'd seen each other, during their final confrontation.

"And what makes you think you even knew me in the slightest last time?" he challenged coldly. "I will not make the same mistake I made then, so you should not expect leniency from me now." As Jareth finished speaking, he looked straight down at Sarah, towering over her, but when he started to advance, Sir Didymus, undoubtedly pushed into action by the fear that Sarah would be harmed, charged forward, sinking his teeth into Jareth's leg. The Goblin King shouted in pain and surprise before kicking the fox away, sending him flying towards one of the stone urns within the courtyard. Seconds before the impact could occur, Ludo lumbered forward, catching Sir Didymus in time. Seeing her friend was safe was a huge relief for Sarah, but that didn't change what Jareth had almost did. Enraged, she rounded on him, an arm lifted to strike, but Jareth proved to be faster than her. In an instant, he'd had the young girl within a chokehold.

"Let 'er go!" Hoggle cried out as he, Ludo, and Sir Didymus started to move to Sarah's defense. They'd barely taken a step, however, when Jareth suddenly stumbled forward with a low grunt, his hand slipping from Sarah's throat. Once Jareth had regained his balance, he turned to glare at Stacey, who was revealed to have been standing behind him, wielding a tree branch like a club.

"Little lesson about a good _strategic_ plan of attack, sir," Stacey spoke to Jareth, pouring as much contempt into the word 'sir' as possible. "The best ones are always the least expected. So, the next time you plan to attack us, perhaps you'd do well to make sure you know where everyone is. Otherwise, you're practically _inviting_ someone to sneak up on you."

"A strategic plan of attack," Jareth fixed Stacey with a calculating stare. "So, you want an attack that's not expected, do you? I wonder how you would rate this one, then." As he spoke, a crystal formed in Jareth's hand. Sarah's breath instantly hitched in foreboding when she saw him toss it into the shadows. She'd seen what Jareth's crystals could do, and when you added the look on Jareth's face into the equation, it was a sure sign that danger was imminent.

As Jareth transformed into his barn owl form and flew off towards the castle, a monstrous looking beast slowly began to emerge from the spot where he'd thrown the crystal. With Ludo, his appearance didn't match his true nature, but it was quite clear the same couldn't be said for this frightening creature, who snarled threateningly with each step.

"What is that?" Sarah gasped as everyone started to back away.

"I…I don't know," Hoggle shook his head. "There's never been _anythin'_ like that in the Labyrinth before now."

"I know what it is," Stacey announced, her voice and eyes filled with terror. "A lion-like creature with six legs, encased in a turtle shell. And with a serpentine tail ending in a scorpion's sting. I've read about a creature matching that description in one of my encyclopedias back home. A Tarasque."

The moment it had been named, the Tarasque let out an ear-shattering roar that sent the group running, except for Sir Didymus, who stood his ground, ready to fight this monster. Noticing this, Sarah quickly dashed back and carried him off, moments before the Tarasque could crush the fox beneath its massive paw. With another terrible roar, the Tarasque took up chase, the ground shaking under its feet.

As Sarah and the others ran from the Tarasque, Ludo's arm happened to brush up against one of the hedges. His action inadvertently woke up a yellow-furred kitten sized creature with the ears of a rabbit. Poking his head out from the hedge, the small animal observed the sight of the Tarasque chasing the group with large round eyes, the kind that were usually seen on mice. After the Tarasque had passed by, the small animal emerged from the hedge and began to scamper after the monster.

It was just as the group was running into the very section of the Labyrinth where Sarah and Ludo had met for the first time that it happened. Hoggle, looking back at the monster, ended up tripping over one of the stone tiles that paved the footpath and lost his balance, falling to the ground. In an instant, the Tarasque was standing over him, its jagged teeth bared. Paying no heed to Hoggle's tangible terror, or the fact that Sarah was shouting his name as Ludo held her back, the Tarasque swung its tail back, ready to strike. Shaking from fear, Hoggle clamped his eyes shut, not wanting to see that barb move downward on him, but instead of feeling the sharp pain he had been expecting, he instead felt someone yank him roughly to the side by his waistcoat.

"Move, you useless dwarf!" Stacey's voice shouted. Hoggle's eyes snapped open just in time to see Stacey push him out of the way, only to have the barb on the Tarasque's tail pierce her right shoulder. Instantly, an awful cry of intense pain escaped from Stacey's throat. When the Tarasque pulled its tail back, Stacey staggered backwards, clutching at her injured shoulder. To everyone's horror, she fell limply to the ground.

The moment Stacey had collapsed, the small animal that Ludo had unwittingly woken up while running from the Tarasque appeared out of nowhere, savagely biting down on the dragon's tail. The Tarasque roared in pain as the animal's teeth sank deeper. In an attempt at shaking the small animal off, the Tarasque began thrashing about, but the critter managed to hang on like a limpet. In a seemingly desperate attempt to escape the animal's persistent attack, the Tarasque rolled over onto its back in the manner of a horse trying to throw off a predator. The moment the Tarasque's belly was exposed, the animal released his hold on the serpentine tail and landed on the monster's chest.

Taking advantage of the easy target, the Tarasque swung its tail a second time, but seconds before the small animal could be hit by the barb, he leapt out of the way, so the barb hit home in the Tarasque's exposed underbelly. With one final, earsplitting roar of pain, the Tarasque's eyes glazed over, and its body grew still.

Hissing at the defeated dragon, the small animal scampered over to join Sarah's group, who were all gathered around Stacey. The auburn haired girl was lying stiffly on the ground, horribly pale, with sweat coating her forehead, and her breathing ragged and strained. Sarah reached down and took hold of Stacey's wrist to check for a pulse, but dropped it in shock almost immediately.

"What is wrong, my lady?" Sir Didymus asked.

"She's burning hot to the touch," Sarah explained. "And her pulse is so fast, you can't tell one heartbeat from the next." Leaning down, Sarah pried open one of Stacey's eyes and gasped at what she saw. Stacey's pupils were extremely dilated, and seemed almost completely black.

"It's the Tarasque's venom," an unfamiliar voice announced.

"What?" Sarah asked, looking around for the speaker. "Who said that?"

"Down here," the voice replied. Glancing down, they saw Daedalus looking up at them.

"Did….did you just…."

"Speak?" Daedalus said, finishing her statement. "Yes. Yes, I did."

"You can talk?" Sir Didymus exclaimed. "But how?"

"I'll explain later," Daedalus promised, directing his attention onto Stacey, studying her closely. "The barb on the tail of a Tarasque contains very serious venom. Stacey's showing all the signs of being poisoned by that venom. Pallor skin, high fever, rapid pulse, labored breathing, paralyzed muscles, dilated pupils…"

"Stacey…die?" Ludo questioned in concern. Daedalus' yellow eyes closed before he gave his reply.

"I'd say…that's a definite possibility, yes."

As the thought of Stacey's possible death sank in, the small animal that had helped defeat the Tarasque crawled up onto Stacey's arm and placed a paw near the spot where the Tarasque's barb had pierced her skin.

"No, get away from her," Sarah scolded, trying to shoo the animal off.

"Wait, Sarah!" Daedalus stopped her. "I know what that animal is. He's a gremlin. Gremlins are nothing like the mischievous creatures bent on sabotage that people in your world imagine them to be. Here, they are known to be extremely lucky, with abilities akin to a unicorn's horn. Whatever they touch becomes purified." For the second time, the gremlin reached out to touch Stacey's wound, but this time, no one tried to stop him. The moment the gremlin's paw came into contact with the wound, it healed instantly, and the gremlin smiled, looking very pleased with himself.

"Cu-chu!" the gremlin said, seemingly proud of himself.

"Sarah, check Stacey's pulse again," Daedalus instructed.

"It's…starting to slow down," Sarah announced once she'd done what Daedalus had asked. "Does that mean she's going to be okay?"

"Only if we let her rest until dawn," Daedalus deduced. "If we move her too soon, the remaining toxin in her blood will take hold, and then not even the gremlin's touch will be able to cure her."

In the knowledge that moving Stacey was too risky, and with no one willing to leave her lying there on her own, the four friends decided that they'd all stay where they were and set up a second camp here. As everyone selected a place to sleep, Sarah cast one final glance at the Tarasque's body, unconsciously shivering. She instantly decided she'd keep her back to it during the night, because she just couldn't handle having that be the first thing she saw when morning came. Heading over to join her friends, she suddenly realized that Hoggle was still kneeling at Stacey's side, unmoving.

"Hoggle?" Sarah called over to him. "Aren't you going to get some sleep?"

"No, not yet," Hoggle waved over to her. "I think…I want to stay 'ere a little longer." Sarah nodded in understanding, and headed over to Ludo, lying down next to him. Turning back to Stacey's still form, Hoggle reached out and took hold of her hand, gripping it as tightly as he could. "You saved my life," he whispered, a multitude of emotions in his voice.

* * *

"So," Sarah said, turning to Daedals as she, Ludo, Sir Didymus and their newest ally settled in for the night. "How _are_ you able to talk?"

"It's because I, too, am a native of the Underground," Daedalus revealed. "But, for reasons that are not important at present, I left the Underground some time ago and ended up settling into Sarah's world."

"Why didn't you say anything before?" Sir Didymus asked.

"Because when I'm in Sarah's world, I lose my ability to speak. I didn't regain it until the moment we entered the Labyrinth."

"Huh," Sarah mused. "I didn't know it was possible for people from the Underground to actually leave it. At least, not for the long term."

"It is unusual," Daedalus stated, "But not unheard of. I trust you've heard legends of a creature living in the lakes of Scotland?"

* * *

A few hours before dawn, nearly everyone had fallen asleep. But Hoggle was still awake, sitting at Stacey's side. With a clay basin of cool water and a clean rag, he busied himself with gently bathing her forehead, wiping away the remaining sweat. As he worked, a soft moan escaped her lips, and Stacey slowly opened her eyes.

"Oh, did I wake you up?" Hoggle asked quietly. "I'm sorry."

"What happened?" Stacey blinked, glancing around.

"The Tarasque hit you with its poisoned barb," Hoggle explained. "You nearly died." Stacey let out a long breath before noticing Hoggle was watching her with a face filled with concern.

"What's that look for, Dwarf?" Stacey demanded suspiciously.

"Didn't you just hear what I said?" Hoggle cried, stunned that Stacey didn't seem to understand. "You were poisoned with that monster's venom! You could have died, Stacey! We were all worried about you!" Whatever Stacey had been expecting Hoggle to say, it certainly wasn't that. She gazed up at him, eyes wide in amazement and confusion.

"You were worried?" she repeated in disbelief. "About me?"

"Of course we were!" Hoggle insisted. "Why wouldn't we be worried? Like it or not, you're a part of this group, too. That means you matter to all of us. If something happened to you, we'd _all_ be affected by it." Stacey's eyes locked onto Hoggle's face, as if trying to take this news in. After a long moment, she closed her eyes.

"I see," she whispered. She remained quiet while Hoggle continued his task of bathing her forehead. Once there was no more sweat remaining on her brow, Stacy rolled over on her side, facing away from the dwarf. "Thank you, Dwarf. Thank you….Hoggle."

Upon hearing Stacey use his name for the first time, Hoggle opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it. He had to remember that Stacey was probably still weak from the poison and needed to rest. Still, the fact that she'd actually used his name left him wondering if Stacey was going to continue using it, or if tonight was just a fluke.

Pushing that thought to the back of his mind, Hoggle rolled over to get some sleep as well. What he didn't know was that Stacey spent the next few minutes lying awake herself, just thinking about the things Hoggle had told her about how the others had worried about her, and actually cared about what happened to her. Finally, she drifted off to sleep, too.

* * *

 **AN:** Really hope everyone enjoyed this installment. It's quite possibly one of my favorite chapters of this story.


	7. Sail on, Silver Girl

Sarah woke up the next morning to the sun shining into her eyes, and the smell of something cooking. Sitting up, she glanced around to see that, apart from Ludo and Daedalus, she was the last one up. Hoggle was hard at work tending to a cooking fire that had been built while she was still sleeping, and, much to Sarah's surprise, Stacey was up and about as well, balancing her attention between cooking seven fish above the open fire and listening to Sir Didymus' account of how the Tarasque was defeated. The gremlin, meanwhile, was perched on Ambrocious' head, gazing over at the cooking fish, his skinny, yellow tail twitching like a cat's.

"Where'd you guys get the fish?" Sarah asked, joining the group around the cooking fire.

"Sir Hoggle and I went a little ways into the Fiery Forest, my lady," Sir Didymus explained. "We managed to catch them there, and Stacey has been helping us cook them for our breakfast."

"Speaking of whom," Sarah turned to the blue-eyed girl. "How are you feeling? Are you doing okay after last night?"

"The muscles in my arms are still a little sore," Stacey admitted. "But other than that, I'm feeling fine."

"Glad to hear it," Sarah smiled, happy at hearing that Stacey was feeling better. "And it looks like you've even gotten the color back in your cheeks."

The truth was, having her color back wasn't the only noticeable change in Stacey. Sarah admitted that it could have just been her imagination, but there seemed to be a noticeable change in Stacey's eyes. Before, Stacey's eyes always carried a hardened look to them, but now, there seemed to be a much softer and kinder gleam within them. She even seemed to be holding herself differently, but it was difficult to pinpoint exactly what was different about her posture.

It was at that moment that the gremlin abandoned his perch atop Ambrocious' head and leapt up onto Stacey's lap, where he began to paw at the air, as if reaching for the fish.

"Cu-Chu!" the gremlin whimpered, casting Stacey a beseeching look.

"I know you're hungry, Theseus," Stacey replied, scratching behind the gremlin's ear. "But the fish has to cook first."

"Theseus?" Hoggle looked up from adding more kindling to the fire. "Where'd you come up with a name like that?"

"Back in my world, there's an old story from Greek mythology, about another famous labyrinth," Stacey explained. "This labyrinth was the home of a terrible man-eating monster known as the Minotaur, who was part man and part bull. The Minotaur was eventually defeated and killed by a legendary hero, Theseus. Since Sir Didymus told me about how the Tarasque was defeated by this gremlin, I thought that Theseus was the perfect name for him." Stacey looked down at the gremlin, a smile suddenly forming on her face. "What about you, little guy? What do you think about the name Theseus?"

"Cu-Chu!" the gremlin replied, looking very pleased about his new name.

"Well, now that he's got a name," Sarah went on, smiling at the newly-dubbed Theseus. "Is the fish almost ready?"

"Just about," Stacey replied, checking the fish in question. "I'd say that if you went and woke up Ludo for us now, they'll be ready to eat once the two of you come and sit down. You don't have to worry about Daedalus, though. Saw whet owls don't eat fish. But before you wake Ludo up, Sarah, I have to ask you something. It's about that man from last night, the one with the crystal. Was that…was that Jareth?"

"Yeah, it was" Sarah confirmed. Nodding, Stacey stared into the fire, seemingly deep in thought. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"I don't know," Stacey shrugged. "I just got a strange feeling about him last night. It's the same feeling I always got when reading my books back home, like there was something I was supposed to remember but couldn't. And then there was that barn owl he turned into. I just got the feeling that I saw it once before. Then again, I suppose all barn owls look the same, don't they?" A second later, Stacey seemed to shake away her confused feelings, and asked Sarah to wake up Ludo again.

Even as Sarah woke up Ludo, she continued wondering about what Stacey had said. Stacey had apparently pushed her questions aside, but Sarah couldn't stop herself from thinking about them a bit longer. Why _did_ Stacey get those strange feelings when reading her books, anyway?

* * *

After a breakfast of roasted fish, the group continued on their way, progressing into the Fiery Forest. Sarah was leading the way, with Ludo and Sir Didymus, riding atop Ambrocious, at her side. Hoggle and Stacey were taking up the rear, with Daedalus perched atop Stacey's left shoulder and Theseus trotting along in front of them. For a time, everyone walked along in silence, but Stacey soon paused and made a face, as if she'd suddenly eaten something very bitter. Noticing this, Hoggle stopped and looked up at her uneasily.

"Are you all right, Stacey?" he asked. "Maybe you should have rested a bit more. None of us knows that much about Tarasque venom. You might not be up to traveling yet." Stacey let out a short laugh at Hoggle's nervousness over her condition.

"I appreciate your concern, Hoggle," Stacey assured, "but really, I'm fine. My only complaint is that annoying morning taste in my mouth."

"Oh, hold on, then," Hoggle spoke up, holding back a smile that Stacey was now using his name on a regular basis. After slightly fumbling around his belt, he managed to remove an old wineskin and handed it over to Stacey. "Drink this. It should help." Stacey took the wineskin, but paused before drinking, taking a moment to sniff at the contents.

"You don't trust me?" Hoggle chuckled, only half joking.

"Does that question need an answer?" Stacey replied, smiling down at the dwarf. "It's just that… I've never drunken anything you would expect to find in a wineskin before. Girls my age aren't really allowed to in my world, except in a few certain regions that I've never been to."

"Then it's a good thing you're in the Underground," Hoggle pointed out.

"Yeah, guess you're right," Stacey agreed. "Well, sail on, Silver Girl." Hearing the strange phrase, Hoggle looked back at her, just in time to see Stacey take a quick gulp from the wineskin.

"Sail on _what_?"

"Oh, right, you wouldn't know," Stacey shrugged, passing the wineskin back to Hoggle. "It's just a line from a song Wayne used to sing to me I was a little girl, when I was going to sleep. We ended up adopting that line as a saying, that when you're upset, worried, or nervous about something, you shouldn't let it stop you. Instead, you should just continue on."

"You…you wouldn't mind teaching me, would you?" Hoggle asked hesitantly.

"Teach you what? The song?" Stacey stared in surprise. "Hoggle, that…. I haven't listened to that song in years. I don't think I can remember all of it."

"Oh," Hoggle nodded in understanding, trying to act as if he wasn't discouraged by this. For a few moments, neither of them said a word, until Stacey chanced a brief glance down at Hoggle before looking away again. Taking a deep breath in preparation, she tried to remember words to the song.

 _When you're weary, feeling small,_

 _When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;_

 _I'm on your side._

 _When times get rough_

 _And friends just can't be found,_

 _Like a bridge over troubled water_

 _I will lay me down._

 _Like a bridge over troubled water_

 _I will lay me down._

 _When you're down and out,_

 _When you're on the street,_

 _When evening falls so hard_

 _I will comfort you._

 _I'll take your part._

 _When darkness comes_

 _And pain is all around,_

 _Like a bridge over troubled water_

 _I will lay me down._

 _Like a bridge over troubled water_

 _I will lay me down._

 _Sail on silver girl,_

 _Sail on by._

 _Your time has come to shine._

 _All your dreams are on their way._

 _See how they shine._

 _If you need a friend_

 _I'm sailing right behind._

 _Like a bridge over troubled water_

 _I will ease your mind._

 _Like a bridge over troubled water_

 _I will ease your mind._

"For someone who said they didn't remember," Daedalus quipped, "you did pretty well in recalling the lyrics, Stacey."

"Guess it's just one of those things you don't completely forget," Stacey reasoned. "Once you get started, everything comes back to you." After a brief pause, Hoggle's eyes widened at Stacey's lack of surprise from hearing her owl speaking. It had suddenly dawned on him that no one had remembered to tell her that Daedalus was from the Underground, too.

"Stacey, aren't you…you mean you're not wondering why Daedalus can talk?" At Hoggle's stunned question, Stacey laughed.

"Hoggle," she replied. "I'm in a giant maze with a fox who thinks he's one of King Arthur's knights, a six-foot-tall Yeti who has the personality of a teddy bear, a gremlin who can purify anything with a single touch, and a dwarf who carries around more stuff than a merchant. Tell me, why _wouldn't_ an owl talk? At this point, there's very little that can surprise me."

"I don't mean to interrupt," Daedalus spoke up. "But, speaking of the others, where exactly are they?" Stacey and Hoggle froze, looking ahead of them. Sure enough, Sarah, Ludo, and Sir Didymus were nowhere in sight.

"Uh-oh," Stacey and Hoggle spoke in unison, realizing simultaneously that they were in a bit of trouble.

* * *

Elsewhere, Sarah, Ludo, and Sir Didymus had also realized they had been accidentally separated from the others, and were now searching for them.

"Where are they?" Sarah wondered out-loud. "I know from experience that the Labyrinth is too dangerous to wander off in."

"Fear not, my lady," Sir Didymus assured confidently. "Sir Hoggle knows the land better than anyone else I know. As long as he's with Lady Stacey, no harm shall come to either of them."

"Sarah!" Ludo stopped, pointing over at something beyond a nearby tree. "Sarah, look!" Looking in the direction Ludo was pointing, Sarah and Sir Didymus saw there was an old wooden hut a short distance away. It was clearly obvious that it had long since been abandoned. The walls showed strong evidence of wood rot, with climbing vines winding around the individual planks, and most of the thatched roof had been lost over time.

"I don't think anyone's lived here for years," Sarah mused, taking in the state of the abandoned hut.

"Ludo smell death," Ludo uttered, casting the hut a mournful gaze.

"Sir Ludo, do you mean to say that someone _died_ in this hut?" Sir Didymus inquired.

"Yeah," Ludo nodded his shaggy head in confirmation.

"I wonder who it was," Sarah said, approaching the abandoned hut. Reaching out, she started to carefully push open the door, but recoiled almost instantly. The second her hand came into contact with the rotted door, a multitude of sounds surrounded her. An unearthly and blood-chilling wail, a baby crying in distress, and a woman screaming in terror. Sarah quickly backed away from the door, her hands over her ears in an attempt to muffle the overwhelming noise.

"My lady!" Sir Didymus cried in alarm. "Whatever is the matter?"

"You mean you didn't just hear those noises?" Sarah gaped in astonishment. How could they have not heard all that? It was as loud as someone screaming into your ear.

"Ludo hear nothing," Ludo announced.

"I have not heard anything unusual, either," Sir Didymus agreed. Sarah looked back at the hut, now feeling uneasy.

"Ludo, you said that someone died here, right?" Sarah began, partially thinking out-loud. "I don't think it was a natural death. I think someone, or something, attacked the people living here. Where I'm from, some people say that horrible events leave behind some kind of scar, like how a fire leaves scorch marks. When I touched the door just now, I think I felt some of the scar that was left behind. I felt fear. The kind of fear you feel when something is threatening your very life. I think…the people who lived here were murdered. It was a little baby, and a woman; its mother."

"But who would be so evil to kill a woman and child?" Sir Didymus cried, outraged at the very idea.

Sarah didn't have an answer to that. Instead, she steeled herself to open the door, forcing herself to ignore the sudden image of an evil looking pair of glowing green eyes that appeared in her mind as she pushed the door of the hut open.

Once inside, Sarah looked around at the damaged furniture that filled the hut. There was a small table and chair pushed against one wall, and next to the other, there was a badly damaged bed positioned next to a rotting crib. However, none of this seemed to matter as much when Sarah's eyes fell across the old painting that hung on the wall. As faded as it was, Sarah could still make out the people in it as clear as day.

The image of Jareth's smiling face looked out at Sarah, but it wasn't a smile she recognized. Not only was he years younger within the painting, but he also looked truly happy as well, his face radiating with warmth and kindness. His arm was wrapped around a young woman, who was holding a tiny blue-eyed baby close to her chest. At first, Sarah wondered who the woman in the painting was, but the closer she looked at the portrait, the more she could see it. This woman looked exactly like her, only considerably older. She was even wearing the same ball gown Sarah had once worn in her vision of the masquerade ball.

"It's me," Sarah gasped, lightly touching the base of the painting in amazement. "But how…?"

"Don't believe everything you see, fair maiden," Sir Didymus piped up. "Don't forget that things aren't always as they appear to be in the Underground. For all we know, this might be some sort of trick. Either way, we still need to find Sir Hoggle and Lady Stacey."

"Yeah, you're right," Sarah agreed, tearing her eyes away from the painting. "Let's go." Without another word, Sarah left the abandoned hut behind, with Sir Didymus at her side. Ludo, on the other hand, paused to glance at the portrait one last time before following his friends.

* * *

 **AN** : And the plot thickens (LOL)

The song that Stacey sings in this chapter is 'Bridge Over Troubled Water,' which is considered to be the most famous song of American singer duo, Simon & Garfunkel. Full credit goes to them.


	8. The Bog and The Pond

Stacey and Hoggle trudged through the Fiery Forest, with Daedalus flying a little ways ahead of them and Theseus nestled happily in Stacey's arms.

"Tell me again," Stacey requested. "Why exactly aren't we looking for the others? It just seems like the sensible thing to do. Safety in numbers, after all."

"Normally, that would be a wise idea," Hoggle replied. "But it's quite easy to get lost in the Fiery Forest. Our best option is to continue makin' our way to the castle. Since we were headin' there to begin with, it's a good chance that we'll meet up with Sarah and the others along the way. Besides, I don't recommend wanderin' around in this part of the Labyrinth, anyway. There's too great a risk of runnin' into the Fireys."

"And exactly who, or what, are they?" Stacey asked, looking down at Hoggle.

"Not the type of creatures you'd want to come across if you're lost. Absolutely can't be trusted to take anythin' seriously. Overall, you'd be hard pressed to find bigger pains than the Fireys."

"Oh, trust me, Hoggle," Stacey rolled her eyes. "There are no bigger pains than Phoebe and her harpies." Upon hearing this, Hoggle glanced over at her in cautious interest. Was Stacey going to further build on that statement? However, Stacey continued to walk along in silence, acting as if she hadn't said anything.

Before Hoggle could get the chance to try and encourage her to continue with her statement, Theseus suddenly jerked his head up, his large rabbit-like ears twitching as he sniffed the air. Without much warning, he leapt out of Stacy's arms and scampered off.

"Where's he goin'?" Hoggle asked as he and Stacey started hurrying after Theseus.

"Perhaps he caught a scent of the rest of our group?" Daedalus suggested. When they caught up to Theseus, however, it became clear that it hadn't been the scent of the others he had found. Instead, Theseus was crouching next to and sniffing at an unconscious Firey, The creature was lying at the base of a tree, his body covered with considerable injuries. A series of gashes lined his beak and limbs, his tail was bent at an unnatural angle, and his reddish orange fur was caked with dried blood. Even part of his ear was missing.

"Hoggle, what is that?" Stacey asked, unable to look away from the wounded creature.

"It's a Firey," Hoggle explained, also visibly stunned by the state of the injuries.

"So _that's_ a Firey?" Stacey muttered. "It looks like a cross between a flamingo and a spider monkey." After a brief pause, she slowly stepped forward and knelt down next to the Firey in order to get a closer look at his injuries.

"Stacey, wait!" Hoggle exclaimed in alarm, reaching out to grab her arm. "I wouldn't get too close to 'im. You can never be too careful around Fireys."

"You might be right, Hoggle, but that doesn't change the fact that he'll probably die if we do nothing to help him now," Stacey pointed out. "And if we just leave him in this state, tell me, how does that make us any better than Jarath?" Hoggle was momentarily frozen, unable to come up with a good argument to that.

"She has a point, Hoggle," Daedalus spoke up. "And besides, while I admit I haven't lived here in years, the last time I was in the Underground, there was only one rule, and that was everything within the Labyrinth should be viewed as part of a great puzzle. If one piece is lost, the picture cannot be completed."

"I think we'll need to make a temporary splint for his tail," Stacey thought out loud, examining the Firey's wounds. "Also, Sarah mentioned that you care for the garden around the Labyrinth's gates, Hoggle. So you should know quite a bit about the plants that grow in the Underground. Is there anything you can think of that we can use to make a dressing for these gashes, or something to keep them from getting infected?"

"Yes, I do know somethin' that could help," Hoggle agreed. "But what about Theseus? His touch helped you when you were hurt by that Tarasque, so wouldn't it help in this situation?"

"No, I'm afraid not," Daedalus replied. "The touch of a gremlin can only purify poisonous substances, which is why it helped when Stacey was poisoned by the Tarasque. However, it cannot help with healing ordinary physical wounds, no matter how grievous."

"In that case, we'll just have to treat the Firey's wounds the old fashioned way," Stacey decided. "Hoggle, I realize you have issues with these creatures, but could you please find some things to help treat his injuries?"

"Of course," Hoggle agreed after a brief pause. "I won't be long."

As Hoggle headed off to find some antiseptic plants, with Theseus scampering along after him, he paused to glance back at Stacey, who was continuing to check the Firey for more injuries. Was this really the same person who had been so closed off and disinterested in helping them free the Labryinth yesterday?

* * *

Sarah, Ludo, and Sir Didymus continued their journey to the castle, with everyone keeping a watchful eye out for Stacey and Hoggle. Suddenly, Sarah stopped in her tracks, her hand flying to her nose.

"Oh, please tell me that's not what I think I smell," she begged, hoping she was wrong about where they were. Unfortunately, her fears proved to be well realized when the three friends turned the corner, and the Bog of Eternal Stench came into view.

"Ah, my old home," Sir Didymus beamed, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Sarah and Ludo were trying to block out the horrible stench. "How wonderful to return to the place where I met my brother and Lady Sarah for the first time."

"Cu-Chu!" Theseus said, seemingly appearing out of the blue at Sarah's feet.

"Theseus!" Sarah looked down at the gremlin in surprise. "Where'd you come from? And where's Hoggle and Stacey?" As if on cue, Stacey's voice could be heard nearby.

"I don't believe this! What part of _'don't wander off_ ' doesn't that gremlin understand? This is the second time! Daedalus, I thought you said gremlins were supposed to be good luck." Seconds later, Hoggle stepped into view, coming from the opposite direction Sarah, Ludo, and Sir Didymus had come from.

"I'm starting to think he is, Stacey," he announced, smiling as he noticed Sarah and the others. In a moment, Stacey also appeared, carrying the still-unconscious Firey on her back.

"Yeah, I see your point," she agreed, also seeing the rest of their group. Before anyone could say anything more, the smell emanating from the bog hit Stacey and Hoggle, and the two of them quickly reacted to it. "Oh, _now_ where are we?"

"No, not the Bog of Eternal Stench," Hoggle moaned, holding his nose. The entire group continued to try and block out the awful smell, with the exception of Sir Didymus, Daedalus, and Theseus.

"Why are ye all making such a fuss?" Sir Didymus asked, looking at everyone as if they had lost their minds. "I've already told you there is no stench here. The air around this place is the most sweetly fragrant in all the Labyrinth."

"Cu-Chu!" Theseus added, as if agreeing with the fox.

"Oh, not this again," Hoggle complained, while Sarah and Ludo gave moans of exasperation. Stacey, however, was looking between Sir Didymus and Theseus in contemplation.

"Daedalus?" she finally spoke, glancing over at the owl. "What about you? Do you smell it, too?"

"I have to say, I don't," Daedalus answered.

"How can _he_ not notice the smell, either?" Sarah cried in disbelief.

"Smell bad!" Ludo bellowed.

"Maybe not," Stacey mused, now crouching at the edge of the bog, staring out at it intently.

"Stacey? What is it?" Sarah asked, watching the auburn-haired girl in confusion.

"When I was little," Stacey began, "Wayne used to say that human senses, like sight and smell, aren't always completely reliable, and they can fool you. It's like how you might be watching a movie and think you smell popcorn when no popcorn has been made. Now, most of us can smell the horrible stench around this place, but not Sir Didymus, Theseus, and Daedalus. That gets me thinking. Why can _we_ smell it, when they can't?"

With that question hanging in the air, Stacey closed her eyes, taking long, deep breaths, almost as if she was meditating. After about a minute, with everyone else exchanging confused glances, Stacey sniffed at the air, and a smile formed on her face.

"I knew it," she chuckled. "Oh, yeah. That's really clever."

"What's clever?" Hoggle asked.

"Sir Didymus is right!" Stacey announced. "The air here really _does_ smell wonderful! In fact, I can't ever _remember_ air ever smelling this nice."

"What are you talking about?" Sarah stared. "You smelled the stench, too."

"I know, and that's just it," Stacey continued, still smiling widely. "Sarah, what did you say was the most important thing to remember about the Labyrinth?"

"That….things aren't always what they seem to be," Sarah replied.

"Exactly!" Stacey exclaimed in triumph. "That rule applies here, too! The horrible smell is just an illusion meant to fool us. Daedalus, Theseus, and Sir Didymus are all essentially animals. The rest of us are human, or somewhat-human. That's why they can't smell the horrible stench like the rest of us do. Animal senses are usually sharper, and therefore more accurate, than the senses of humans. So, because of that, they're all immune to the illusionary smell around the bog. If you don't believe me, try clearing your minds. Forget about the smell. Just keep telling yourself that it's not really there. It's kind of like…mind-over-matter. Once _I_ stopped thinking that the stench was real, it disappeared completely. Come on, just try it."

Sarah, Ludo, and Hoggle all looked at each other unsurely, but soon took Stacey's advice, willing themselves to believe that the stench really was an illusion. It was Sarah who experienced it first. Ever so slowly, the horrible smell died away, and was replaced with the most wonderful smell she'd ever experienced. It was almost like walking into a gigantic flower garden, when everything was in full bloom. Smiling, Sarah glanced over at her friends, seeing by their faces that they were starting to experience the new smell, too.

"Cor," Hoggle gaped, his eyes widening. "To think I used to be scared of this place."

"Stacey clever," Ludo complemented.

"Please," Stacey waved away the praise. "You don't spend seventeen years under Wayne's care without coming away with something, you know. Wayne always was a good teacher, always encouraging you to think differently, and approach situations from every angle possible. Come to think about it….if I didn't know any better, I'd think he _knew_ this world existed, and was teaching me all of the Labyrinth's lessons." Stacey instantly laughed at the absurdity of that thought. "Nah, I think if Wayne had known about this place, he would have told me about it straight out. Keeping something like this a secret from me isn't like him at all."

Soon afterwards, the group continued on their way to the castle, with all thoughts about Wayne possibly knowing about the Labyrinth quickly forgotten.

* * *

When the afternoon arrived, the group took the time to rest in a sun dappled area of the Fiery Forest, next to a small, glassy pond. Ludo had located some ripe fruits for the group to eat, which Theseus had immediately helped himself to. Meanwhile, Stacey was busy with changing the bandages on the still unconscious Firey, using long broad leaves as makeshift dressing, while Sarah and Sir Didymus were filling Hoggle and Daedalus in on the hut they had come across after the temporary separation.

"I don't understand," Hoggle began once he and Daedalus were brought up to speed. "I do believe you, Sarah, but why couldn't Ludo and Sir Didymus hear the sounds you could at that abandoned hut?"

"I know," Sarah agreed. "I don't get it either." Before she could continue, Sarah suddenly noticed that Daedalus was avoiding eye contact with her, the way someone would do when they were feeling uneasy about something. "Daedalus, do you know something we don't?"

"I'm sorry, Sarah," Daedalus clicked his beak. "But I'm afraid that there are some things about this world that you are not ready to know."

"Like what?" Sir Didymus argued. "Ye are not talking to some small child. This is Lady Sarah. She has every right to know what ye know."

"As true as that may be, Didymus," Daedalus replied, "I still believe that she's not ready to know about this. That's the problem with foxes like you. You don't know the value of patience. You rush into everything without thinking, even knowledge."

"All right, you two," Stacey interrupted, looking up from the Firey's injuries. "That's enough fighting. Save it for Jareth and the goblins." As Daedalus and Sir Didymus glared off in opposite directions, Sarah directed her attention at Stacey and the Firey.

"Stacey, why'd you bring that thing along, anyway?" she asked. "I met them the last time I was here, and they tried to pull my head off."

"I know. Hoggle explained all of that. But he might have died if I left him," Stacey pointed out. "If you had been the one to find him, Sarah, what would you have done?" Sarah took a moment to think, eyeing the Firey.

"I suppose I would have done the same," she finally admitted. Satisfied with that answer, Stacey finished her task in placing fresh bandages on the Firey's wounds. The moment she was done, the Firey began to move, slowly opening his eyes and looking around at the group. After about a minute, the Firey started to get up, but Stacey pulled him back down, holding him back.

"Oh, no you don't," she instructed. "You need to take it easy. You're not strong enough to go off on your own." Instead of replying, the Firey glanced down at the makeshift bandages that had been applied to his injuries before letting out a heavy sigh.

"Why didn't you just leave me where I was?" the Firey asked miserably. "What's the point of helping me now?"

"Ye could show a little gratitude to Lady Stacey," Sir Didymus scolded. "She went through a lot of trouble to help you."

"I didn't want to be helped," the Firey groaned.

"Somethin's up with him," Hoggle frowned. "Fireys never act like this. Usually, they don't have a care in the world."

"Hey, come on now," Sarah asked gently, crouching next to Firey. "Tell us what's wrong, okay?"

"My…my friends," the Firey replied in sorrow. "They're gone. All of them."

"Do you mean they're dead?" Stacey questioned.

"N…no," the Firey clarified. "The goblins from the city. They come every day. All my friends, they…."

"Your friends were taken away and placed in the dungeons, too, weren't they?" Stacey guessed, remembering what Hoggle had told her and Sarah yesterday.

"That does make sense," Daedalus confirmed. "Fireys are known for being laid back creatures intent on only having fun, but even they need to be around others of their kind to maintain their carousing nature." Daedalus' words seemed to trigger the Firey into action, for he took that moment to scramble to his feet and dive for the nearby pool. Before anyone could catch on to what he was doing, the Firey had started holding his head under the water. In an instant, Stacey had leapt forward in an attempt to stop the Firey.

"You dumb featherbrain," Stacey hissed, dragging him out of the water. "What do you think you're doing? Someone, help me, please!" Without hesitation, Hoggle had stepped forward and helped Stacey hold the Firey back, with Sarah soon joining their effort. However, this only upset the creature even more.

"Just let me go!" the Firey begged, now clawing at the ground in his attempt to squirm out of their hold. "My friends are gone. I can't handle _anything_ without them."

"So you're just giving up like that?" Stacey challenged. "Sure, your friends are locked away in Jareth's dungeons, but they're still alive, aren't they? That means there's still a chance to free them, and that's a chance we're going to take." Instantly, the Firey stopped struggling completely and began staring at Stacey in amazement.

"You'll help free my friends?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah, we all will," Stacey promised. "That's what we're doing. We're all heading to the castle to stop Jareth and free everyone in the dungeons. That includes your friends. So there's no point to you giving up now, is there?" For a moment, the Firey was motionless, but then, without warning, he launched himself at Stacey, wrapping her in a staggering hug, thanking her repeatedly. However, the Firey's hug knocked Stacey off balance, sending them both tumbling back into the pool, drenching them both.

"Stacey, are you okay?" Sarah asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Stacey assured, finally extracting herself from the Firey's clinging embrace and making her way out of the pool, with the Firey following her moments later. "Luckily, that pool's not too deep." Sitting down onto a nearby rock, Stacey proceeded to wring out her hair, which had been soaked in the pool.

"Not to interrupt," Daedalus spoke up, glancing up at the sun, "but it might be time for us to continue on. If we leave now, we'll be able to reach the gates to the Goblin City by nightfall."

"Stacey!" Ludo suddenly exclaimed. "Hair changed!" Wondering what the yeti was talking about, everyone else glanced back at Stacey and were amazed by what they saw.

"What? What is it?" Stacey asked, not understanding why the others were now staring at her.

"Your hair," Sarah gaped. "It changed color." Taking hold of a lock of her hair, Stacey moved it into her line of vision, allowing her to see that it had indeed changed from auburn to blonde.

"No way," Stacey blinked, looking back at the pool. "What kind of pool is that, anyway?"

"Ah. I believe that this is the fabled Pool of Depiction, Lady Stacey" Sir Didymus explained. "Legend decrees that anyone who bathes in these waters will be stripped of any disguise they've taken up. I have heard stories of this pool, but I never realized it actually existed within the Labyrinth."

"Well, that makes sense," Stacey mused with a nod. "I suppose the disguise thing includes hair dye."

"Hair dye?" Sarah repeated.

"Yeah, this is my natural color," Stacey stated. "But if you had to listen to Phoebe and her harpies calling you names like Goldilocks for over six years, you'd probably end up dying your hair, too, just to get them to stop."

"So ye are a natural blonde," Sir Didymus noted.

"Yes, but it doesn't really matter," Stacey shrugged. "I'll probably end up scheduling another appointment at the hairdresser to color it again after Sarah and I return to our world."

"Why'd you want to do that?" Hoggle asked. "I know what I think about it doesn't matter, but I think you should leave it like that."

"What makes you say that?" Stacey arched an eyebrow at the dwarf.

"Nothin', I just think that…your hair looks better like that." For a brief moment, Stacey looked at Hoggle with an unreadable expression, but then shrugged and turned away.

"Moving on," she spoke to the others. "Daedalus does have a point. We really should continue on to the Goblin City."

Within moments, the group had headed off, with the new addition of the Firey, who had cheered up considerably in the hopes of reuniting with his friends. However, when no one was looking, Stacey spared one last glance at her reflection in the Pool of Depiction, studying her blonde hair.

"Hmm," Stacey mused to herself. "So, it looks better this way, does it?"


	9. Betrayal

When night began to fall over the Labyrinth, the group had reached the edge of the Fiery Forest and were greeted by the sight of the castle. That seemed to trigger something with the Firey, who immediately began jumping about, laughing in exuberance.

"Hey, knock it off, Firey," Hoggle growled. "All that hollering is goin' to get us discovered."

"But it won't be much longer before I'm with my friends again!" the Firey exclaimed, undeterred by the warning.

"Yeah, but is that a reason to go nuts?" Stacey asked.

"But my friends are _everything_! Without them, I have no energy to get through the day. We _thrive_ on our unity."

"Really?" Sarah gaped in surprise. "So, you literally need one another to survive? Wow, I had no idea. I'm sorry, Firey."

"Hmm, I have to say that calling him Firey all the time might get rather confusing," Daedalus noted. "Tell me, do you have a name?"

"Me?" the Firey blinked. "Oh, no. My friends and I never really bothered picking names. We were having too much fun to think about it."

"Well, you have to have a name," Sarah pointed out. "Daedalus is right. We can't just keep calling you Firey. It might get a little old."

"How about Prometheus?" Stacey offered. "After all, Hoggle did tell me that Fireys can generate fire with their fingers, so, it might be a good idea to name him after the giant who stole fire from the gods and brought it to man in Greek Mythology."

"Lady Stacey, ye really must tell us all about these Greek stories one day," Sir Didymus announced.

"Prometheus," the Firey repeated, testing out the name. "Yeah! Prometheus! I like it!" With that, he started testing out variations of his new name, such as 'Theus' and 'Pro'.

While Prometheus was occupied with his name, Sarah, Stacey, Hoggle and Theseus stepped away to find something for supper, leaving the others to help set up camp for the evening. They eventually found some wild leeks and potatoes, which Hoggle said he could use to make a soup.

"Who'd have thought?" Sarah asked as they gathered up the ingredients. "To think Prometheus and the other Fireys can hardly even exist when they're apart."

"That's not necessarily a good thing, Sarah," Stacey stated. "It's important to be able to get by on your own."

"But that's not true, Stacey," Sarah argued. "We might not suffer the way Fireys would, but nobody can survive for long on their own. If we don't have friends to stand by us, then we suffer in our own way."

"I once thought like you did, Sarah," Stacey replied, focusing her gaze on the potato she was digging up. "I thought that, if I could just make _one_ friend at school, then I wouldn't feel so out of place in Kent. But I couldn't seem to connect with anyone. Until one day, when that all changed."

"Are you sayin'… you _had_ friends, once?" Hoggle asked.

"I was about eight at the time. Wayne had seen how much I struggled at connecting with the other kids in my class, so he decided to transfer me from Holden Elementary to Walls Elementary. I was a bit nervous about the transfer, but on my first day, there were three girls who instantly reached out to me. Phoebe, Quin and Rosabel."

"Wait, you mean the same three girls who I met?" Sarah gaped. "The ones who tried to warn me not to even talk to you?"

"Yeah, those are the ones," Stacey confirmed. "Right off the back, they were so friendly and nice, playing with me at recess and letting me sit with them at lunch time. Quin even traded me her carton of chocolate milk for my juice box. For the first time in my life, I actually thought I had found someone who would be my friend. But I was wrong. See, our teacher kept in a rare china doll in our classroom. It had belonged to her grandmother or great grandmother; I can't really remember which. Just that it had apparently been in some kind of family heirloom. It was also something of the class mascot, I guess. One day, during my second week at Walls Elementary, I went out to recess with all the other kids and waited by the monkey bars for Phoebe and the others. Because we always met up at the monkey bars. But they didn't show up. Instead, the school principal came out. He told me to report to his office right away. When I showed up, Phoebe, Quin and Rosabel were there, along with our teacher and the china doll, which had been smashed. They'd even called Wayne, asking him to come down, too. Phoebe and the other two all insisted that they'd seen _me_ break the doll. And since they found the broken pieces shoved in the back of my locker, all the evidence pointed right at me. When I refused to accept responsibility for breaking the doll, I was suspended for three days. Only Wayne believed I was telling the truth. When I returned to school after my suspension was over, I'd been branded as a liar, shunned by all the other students. But the worst part was when I ducked into the girls' bathroom, trying to get a break from the nonstop name-calling and insults. When I was still in there, Phoebe, Quin and Rosabel all entered and cornered me. Phoebe looked me right in the eye, and said ' _if you thought anyone would actually want to be friends with_ _ **you**_ _, then you're even dumber than we thought. Good luck finding_ _ **anyone**_ _who'd want to talk to you, now.'"_

"You're saying…they _pretended_ to be your friends just to set you up?" Hoggle cried in outrage.

"I learned an important lesson that day," Stacey concluded. "If the other kids in town were going to hate me that much, then I was better off without friends."

"Stacey," Sarah said, looking at her in sympathy. "You didn't deserve to be treated like that. And none of us would _ever_ do that to you. Please, tell me you realize that." As if to back up Sarah's words, Thesus stepped over to Stacey's side and nuzzled her arm, letting out a noise that almost sounded like a purr. In response, Stacey simply gave the three of them an unreadable look, but after a moment, she gathered up the potatoes she'd already harvested.

"So, how about we start on this soup of yours, Hoggle? I've got quite an appetite today." Hoggle and Sarah shared a look of concern, but Stacey showed no indication that she was going to discuss the matter further.

* * *

Hoggle's soup turned out quite well, and was surprisingly filling. As everyone ate their share, they discussed possible plans on how to continue the next day. Since the castle was in sight, they were in the perfect position to make their move the following morning. However, Sarah and Hoggle both cast secretive glances at Stacey throughout the planning. Neither of them had mentioned to the others what Stacey had revealed to them, unwilling to betray Stacey's trust. They'd realized that Stacey had opened up to them in confidence, and they weren't about to go against that. If Stacey had wanted the others to know, they'd hoped she would have said something. But Stacey remained stone faced throughout dinner, showing no indication that she'd ever revealed her painful backstory.

As Sir Didymus started suggesting plans for a direct offensive attack against the castle, however, Stacey slammed her soup bowl down on the log she'd been leaning against. The disruption brought about a sudden silence within the camp, and when everyone glanced over, they saw the dark look she had on her face.

"Stacey, what's wrong?" Sarah asked in alarm.

"Jareth is what's wrong," Stacey snapped, anger radiating in her tone. "You told me after we arrived that he kidnapped your brother, Toby, threatening to turn him into a goblin. Now, he's imprisoning everyone, and even tried to _kill_ us last night. What kind of man are we dealing with, anyway? How do you fight someone who doesn't have a heart?" Sarah flinched inwardly. Saying Jareth didn't have a heart struck her as rather harsh.

"I…I don't think you're being completely fair, Stacey," Sarah replied. "Jareth's…not completely heartless."

"I can't believe you're defending him!" Stacey rounded on Sarah. "I haven't seen a single thread of humanity in him since we arrived." For a second or two, Stacey studied Sarah's torn expression intently before continuing. "Please don't tell me you actually _care_ for that monster."

"He's not a monster," Sarah argued. "You have to understand. He wasn't like this last time. Yes, he's always been cruel, but he was never a complete monster."

"Then how can you explain his transgressions now?" Stacey challenged. "You may be able to justify his actions in your mind, Sarah, but I can't."

Before Sarah could come up with a reply, Ambrocious began whimpering and Theseus arched his back, hissing like a cat. It was these reactions that alerted everyone to the fact that Jareth had appeared behind them. This time, he was flanked by some of his goblin army.

* * *

 **AN** : Cliffhanger!

I really hope Stacey's backstory was believable. It's been a while since I was 8, so I may have forgotten how 8-year-olds act.


	10. The Secret Revealed

Clenching her fists, Stacey got to her feet and started to approach the Goblin King, visibly enraged, but Hoggle grabbed her arm, holding her back.

"So," Jareth smirked at the ragtag group. "I see you all managed to escape from the Tarasque."

"Oh, please," Stacey snarled, glaring in anger. "Don't gush over your relief."

"No, don't provoke him," Hoggle warned, clearly worried about what Jareth might do to Stacey. "It's not a good idea."

"Wise advice, Hog Gut," Jareth cruelly taunted.

In the blink of an eye, Stacey managed to wrench her arm out of the dwarf's hold and charged forward, landing a fierce punch to Jareth's cheek. Instantly, a shocked silence fell over the campsite, as everyone stared in shock.

"Leave him alone!" Stacey snarled, shaking in rage. "His name is _Hoggle_! Don't insult him!"

"How dare you lay a hand on his majesty?" One of the goblins cried, retaliating by striking Stacey across the legs with the handle of his spear. Under the assault, Stacey's knees buckled, sending her toppling to the ground.

"Stacey!" Sarah cried in shock and concern, immediately bending over her to see if she was okay.

"St…Stacey?" Jareth spoke slowly in a mystified tone.

Glancing back up at him, Sarah noticed that Jareth was suddenly looking at Stacey as if he'd just noticed she was there. For a brief moment, he stood in silence. Finally, he seemed to regain the strength to speak.

"It can't be," Jareth whispered, still not taking his eyes off Stacey.

"And why couldn't it be, Jareth?" Daedalus asked. Hearing Daedalus speaking, Jareth finally tore his eyes away from Stacey, redirecting his attention to the tiny owl.

"Y…you. I remember you. You're….Daedalus," Jareth spoke slowly. "But…but that means…" Once again, Jareth looked back at Stacey with wide eyes, looking as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Yes, your majesty," Daedalus replied. "She has returned."

At these words, a funny sound escaped from Jareth's throat, and he took what appeared to be an instinctual step towards Stacey. But before he could reach her, he suddenly recoiled, as if some invisible being had struck him across the face.

"No," Jareth growled in anguished frustration, clutching his head as if he were in severe pain. " _No_ , not now!"

"Jareth?" Sarah got to her feet, cautiously approaching him. "Jareth, what is it? Are…are you okay?"

"NO!" Jareth barked, glaring at Sarah and stepping away from her before she got within arms-length. "Stay away!" Before Sarah could say anything more, Jareth transformed into a barn owl and took flight back towards the castle. In the absence of their leader, the goblins instantly retreated.

After the initial confusion wore away, Stacey took hold of Daedalus' wing, giving it a slight tug.

"All right, Daedalus," she demanded, adopting a no-nonsense tone of voice. "What was _that_ all about? How does Jareth know who you are, and why did he react like that when he heard Sarah say my name? I know you know, so spill. And please, don't tell me I'm not ready to know, because I'm not in the mood for it right now." Daedalus took a while to answer, taking in the fact that everyone was now looking at him expectantly.

"All right, Stacey," he relented. "I'll tell you. It probably _is_ time that you knew everything. Please sit down, though. It's not only a long story, but it may be a shock to some of you as well."

One by one, the entire group took a seat, with Stacey choosing a spot between Sarah and Hoggle. Once everyone was seated, Daedalus began his story.

"Almost two decades ago, the Labyrinth was invaded by a terrible force. I can't quite describe what it was, exactly, but it was certainly no living being. It was, however, sentient, and extremely dangerous. It was known as the Agnostic."

"Wait!" Sir Didymus interrupted. "I remember that name!"

"You mean you were here when the Agnostic attacked?" Sarah turned to the fox in surprise.

"Indeed I was, my lady," Sir Didymus confirmed. "I regret to say, however, that I was merely a very young squire in those days. For that reason, I was not permitted to join in the battle."

"I take it the two of you were also around back then?" Stacey looked over at Hoggle and Ludo.

"Yes, I...I was here when it happened," Hoggle admitted. "And for everyone here who knew me two years ago, it should be no surprise that I was among the many who chose to hide instead of fighting."

"Ludo was child," Ludo rumbled. "Ludo sent to safety."

"So, I see you three remember how terrible it was during those dark times." Daedalus clicked his beak before continuing for the benefit of Sarah and Stacey. "As these three indicated, while some choose to hide, and the youngest within the Labyrinth were sent away for their safety, others joined in the fight against the Agnostic. But those who fought did so in vain. No one could even lay a scratch on the Agnostic. Of course, how could you? It didn't even have a physical form. Whenever it appeared, it was always in the form of a towering cloud of black smoke. If it did have another form, no one had ever seen it and lived to tell about. In fact, my own parents were among the many that fell before the Agnostic's endless assault."

"Oh, Daedalus, I'm sorry!" Sarah exclaimed in sympathy.

"Thank you for that, Sarah. But it was a long time ago."

"I don't understand," Stacey said, "If you couldn't lay a scratch on this thing, then how did you defeat it? Seeing how it's not around anymore, it must have been beaten, somehow."

"You're getting ahead of me, Stacey," Daedalus replied in an affable tone. "I was just about to start explaining that. Like many others, Jareth himself tried to fight against the Agnostic, for the sake of his family. His wife, Susan, the Goblin Queen, and their infant daughter. To ensure their safety during these dark times, Jareth had Queen Susan and the infant princess take refuge in a small hut hidden away in the Fiery Forest."

"The hut that Ludo, Sir Didymus, and I found!" Sarah realized.

"Exactly," Daedalus nodded. "That is indeed the very hut where Jareth's family went into hiding."

"Well that explains the portrait that we saw within the hut," Sir Didymus noted. "It was a family portrait of Jareth with his wife and child."

"Unfortunately," Daedalus continued, bowing his head in sorrow, "that was when tragedy struck. On that day, Jareth was facing the Agnostic alone, hoping to put a stop to it once and for all. Somehow, the Agnostic found a way to invade the Goblin King's thoughts. In doing so, it was able to use Jareth's fear for his family's safety to learn where Susan and the infant princess were hiding. You see, the Agnostic's intent was to destroy everything within the Labyrinth. To achieve this goal, it was bent on taking away everything Jareth cared for. This included Susan and their baby. When Jareth realized the Agnostic was going after his family, he made his way to the hut immediately to save them. But by the time he got there, it was too late. Susan had already been killed by the Agnostic."

"No!" Sarah gasped. "That's terrible!" The thought of how Jareth must have felt when he lost his queen in such a tragic way left Sarah feeling deep sympathy for the Goblin King.

"And what of the baby?" Sir Didymus inquired, his sense of chivalry making his concern evident on his face.

"Somehow, the princess managed to escape the Agnostic's attack," Daedalus explained. "However, Jareth was so devastated by Susan's death, he couldn't even _look_ at his daughter. Instead, he gave orders to have her sent away from the Underground. In those days, I had served in the castle, as an apprentice to the official scribe. But when Jareth returned to the castle after the death of his wife, I was the one who was charged with the task of taking the infant princess away. In the aftermath of Susan's death, and the exile of the baby princess, the Agnostic mysteriously disappeared. Most likely, it felt that it had achieved what it was trying to do and left of its own accord. After all, many believed Goblin King's spirit was destroyed beyond repair on that day."

At the conclusion of Daedalus' story, everyone who listened to the sad tale was completely silent, taking everything in. It was Sarah who spoke first, wiping away a few tears as she did so.

"Daedalus, I, um…" she choked back her tears. "I understand that it was Susan we saw in the painting that was hanging in the hut, but… is there any point in asking you why she looks so much like me?" Daedalus turned his large eyes to Sarah, gazing at her in what appeared to be sympathy.

"I suppose that now's as good a time as any," he relented. "I knew from the moment I first saw you at Wayne's house, Sarah. You are the reincarnation of Queen Susan. Jareth knows it, too. He probably saw Susan in you that one time two years ago, when he took Toby to his castle. That's most likely why he offered you the chance to save your brother on that night, two years ago." At this unexpected revelation, Sarah found herself staring at the small owl in amazement and disbelief. _She_ was the reincarnation of the Goblin Queen?

"But that doesn't make sense!" Sir Didymus argued. "If Jareth knew Lady Sarah was Susan's reincarnation, wouldn't he have simply given her brother back? Why did he make it so difficult for Lady Sarah?"

"Well, I suppose that love, especially a love as strong as the one Jareth once shared with Susan, can sometimes prevent you from realizing that someone else cannot ever be the one you once loved so dearly, even if that person has the same soul," Daedalus explained. "When she was alive, Susan simply loved solving puzzles. She never could pass up a challenge. If memory serves, it was not uncommon for Jareth to set up elaborate scavenger hunts within the Labyrinth for Susan's entertainment, making sure to throw in a few false leads and dead ends to make things particularly challenging. Queen Susan always adored those games he set up for her. My guess is that Jareth believed that Sarah would also appreciate the challenge." Sarah pursed her lips as she thought about this.

"Daedalus?" Stacey began, speaking hesitantly. "Forgive me for changing the subject, but… what does this all of this have to do with Jareth's reaction to learning my name?" Daedalus turned his head to Stacey slowly. He could tell by her tone of voice that she was fearing the answer.

"I think you already know," Daedalus replied gently. "You see, Stacey, the infant princess didn't survive the Agnostic's attack without a scratch. When Jareth arrived at the hut after Queen Susan's death, the princess had a burn on her left shoulder. A burn that was so deep, it would never disappear completely, and would prevent her from ever feeling anything in the damaged shoulder."

Stacey's face froze instantly, her eyes becoming unfocused as Daedalus' words registered. While most of the group continued to look at Daedalus, unable to see the significance of this statement, Sarah turned to Stacey in shock, also realizing what the small owl was saying. Very slowly, with her eyes remaining glazed over in shock, Stacey reached up to rub the burn that resided on her left shoulder.

"It's not true," she whispered, just loud enough for the others to hear her. The moment everyone looked back at Stacey, they all immediately saw the burn and realized what it meant.

"Whoa!" Prometheus cried in amazement. " _Stacey's_ the princess?!"

"Well, this explains a lot," Sir Didymus nodded. "Such as why Lady Stacey said Jareth's owl form looked so familiar."

"Back in Kent," Sarah added, "Phoebe and her friends said that Stacey had an affinity for fantasy creatures, and always drew pictures of goblins on her school papers. They even said that Stacey felt like it was a distant memory trying to make its way to the surface."

"It's not true," Stacey repeated, a little louder this time.

"Hair is blonde," Ludo pointed out. "Like Jareth's."

"Cu-chu," Theseus' ears twitched.

"Stacey," Hoggle stared in amazement. "She's… she's Jareth's…"

"IT'S NOT TRUE!" Stacey shouted, startling everyone with her outburst. "Jareth is _not_ my father! He's not!"

"Stacey," Daedalus spoke sympathetically. "I took you from Underground to Wayne's house in Kent myself. You cannot deny that you are the Goblin Princess." Instead of replaying, Stacey got to her feet and turned away. For a long time, she didn't say anything.

"Stacey?" Sarah spoke cautiously, unable to think of what to say in this situation.

"I accept the fact that I was born a princess here, Daedalus," Stacey finally announced, keeping her back to the owl. "But I refuse to acknowledge that… _tyrant_ as my father. Wayne is the only father figure I have, and _nothing_ will ever change that."

* * *

Within the castle, Jareth very nearly collapsed onto his throne, squeezing his eyes shut as if in pain. A small group of goblins stood nearby, looking nervously between themselves. They'd never seen the Goblin King behave quite like this. After a few moments, they began to have a whispered argument amongst themselves before one hapless goblin was shoved forward. The reluctant volunteer cautiously stepped closer to the throne, nearly trembling with fear.

"You… your highness?" the goblin stammered. The moment the goblin spoke, Jareth's eyes flew open and he rounded on the cowering figure.

"GET OUT!" Jareth bellowed. "All of you, get out of my sight! OUT!"

All of the goblins turned and ran out of the throne room when Jareth started shouting, nearly scrambling over one another in their haste. Once he was completely alone, Jareth once again slumped back into his throne, breathing heavily. After almost a minute had passed before his expression shifted, reflecting emotional agony. Raising his arm, a magic crystal formed instantly within his hand. He paused for only a second before he turned his wrist, transforming the crystal into a palm-sized version of the portrait that hung in the abandoned hut. Throat suddenly too tight to speak, Jareth began to stare forlornly at the miniature portrait, particularly at the image of the small blue-eyed baby girl gazing out at him.

"Stacey," Jareth whispered, his voice filled with emotion. "My little Stacey."

* * *

 **AN:** Surprise. Hope everyone liked the backstory within this chapter. Please don't be afraid to leave some feedback.


	11. Infiltrating the Castle

Stacey, Sarah, and the others cautiously approached the gates to the Goblin City under the cover of the predawn light, moving as quietly as possible. Even Sir Didymus, who had been told not to make a commotion ahead of time, was doing his best to remain quiet. Upon reaching the outer gates, Ludo tried to push them open, only to find that the doors had been bolted shut from the inside.

"Doors locked," Ludo announced apologetically.

"Don't worry about it, Ludo," Sarah comforted the yeti. "We just have to find another way in."

"And what other way is there?" Sir Didymus asked.

"Well," Daedalus spoke up, "that dead tree over there conceals an entrance to a hidden passageway, which leads straight to the castle's banquet hall. It's the same one that Queen Susan used when she and the infant Stacey were heading to the hut in the Firey Forest."

"And why did ye not mention this hidden passage before?" Sir Didymus challenged.

"Because I didn't think I had to," Daedalus clicked his beak in irritation. "I am not a fortune teller, so I wasn't aware the doors into the city would be bolted shut. Besides, for all I know, the passageway hasn't been used in years. There's no telling what state it would be in. It might very well be unsafe to use it now."

"All right, you two!" Sarah stepped in before Sir Didymus could continue the argument. "That's enough fighting." The owl and fox glared at one another before respecting Sarah's request.

Meanwhile, Hoggle was looking over at Stacey, who had been rather quiet since Daedalus had explained the truth about her origins. She was now staring silently up at the castle, which could just be seen over the walls around the Goblin City. After a moment's hesitation, he slowly stepped up to her side and lightly touched her arm to get her attention. The moment he did so, however, Stacey gave a small jump of shock.

"I didn't scare you, did I?" Hoggle asked.

"No, you didn't," Stacey shook her head. "My mind was just….elsewhere."

"Somethin' wrong?"

"It's nothing. At least, nothing much. It's just that…I guess I'm still a little shell-shocked after learning about my past. I was raised by a carpenter and spent my entire life being tormented by Phoebe and her harpies, Hoggle. I was the last person you'd expect to be a..."

"A princess?" Hoggle offered.

"Yeah, that," Stacey sighed heavily. "If we can defeat Jareth, I suppose that would mean that _I'm_ supposed to become the new monarch. And that's just the problem. I don't know the first thing about it. I'm not so sure that I can even _be_ a princess."

"Well," Hoggle replied, "for what it's worth, I think you've proved that you're _more_ than capable of being a princess. After all, you were the one who was level-headed enough to find out the secret behind the Bog of Eternal Stench. And…you even put your own life on the line to save me from the Tarasque."

"Yeah, that's right," Prometheus spoke up. "You even helped me, and agreed to help free my friends, even though you didn't have to."

"They are correct, Princess Stacey," Sir Didymus agreed. "Being royalty isn't just about sitting on a throne all day. They must look after their kingdom, and everyone in it. And when a crisis arises, they must possess a level mind, so they can continue to think clearly enough to come up with a solution. And ye have proved you're able to do just that. And ye being raised by a carpenter; it means ye are able to relate to thou subjects. Ye will look down on no one, so ye will always be fair and just to those who come to thou." Stacey reluctantly smiled at the reassurance of the two, but didn't say another word about the subject, simply following the others as Daedalus lead them all to the secret passageway into the castle.

"By the way," Hoggle said as they made their way, once again glancing up at Stacey. "Thank you, for sticking up for me back there. When Jareth called my Hog Gut."

"There's no need to thank me for that, Hoggle," Stacey replied, giving him a small but genuine smile. "I think you can understand that I don't like bullies."

"Yeah, I do," Hoggle agreed, remembering what she'd told him and Sarah about her history with Phoebe, Quin and Rosabel.

* * *

As the group made their way through the tunnels beneath the Goblin City, carefully stepping over fallen rocks and broken wooden beams, Sarah brought up something that she'd wanted to say for a while.

"Stacey? I'm….really sorry about your mother."

"Why should you be sorry?" Stacey asked, not meeting her eyes. "You weren't the one who killed her."

"No, but…I can't help but feel bad about it. I'm alive because your mother died. I guess, I feel like it's somehow my fault you don't know her."

"Now you're talking crazy," Stacey shook her head. "Besides, I've lived my whole life without her, haven't I?"

"That's part of the problem, too," Sarah replied. "It makes me realize that I could have had it worse, and knowing that makes me feel guilt. After my parents separated, I was so angry with everyone. I was angry with my stepmother because she was everything my real mother wasn't, and I immediately made her the enemy because of it. I was angry with my dad for marrying her and always taking her side. Sometimes, I was even angry at Toby, just because he was there. But that wasn't fair. I know I probably said that too much in the past. I didn't think _anything_ was fair. I never even stopped to think that someone else's life might have been more unfair than mine. And after hearing about what happened to your mom, Stacey, I'm reminded of that even more. What's even worse is knowing that I must look exactly like her. When you think about it, I practically stole your mother's face. I'm so sorry."

"Well, that's the weirdest apology I've ever heard," Stacey commented. "But for the record, Sarah, I don't blame you for what happened. Like I said, I never knew my mother, anyway, so I'm used to not having her in my life. But now, thanks to you, I at least have an idea of what she looked like. That's better than nothing."

Sarah nodded, but she still didn't look quite alleviated from her feelings of guilt. Noticing this, Stacey tried to change the subject.

"By the way. If you don't mind me asking, what happened to _your_ mother after the divorce?" she asked.

"My mother, Linda, is an actress," Sarah explained. "After the divorce was finalized, she ended up marrying her co-star, Jeremy. He's okay, really. He was always nice to me the few times I saw him. And he makes Mom happy, so that's good. Because of their work, I don't see each them much anymore. But Mom still writes to me frequently, so we keep in touch. In fact, I got a letter from her shortly before my family and I moved to Kent. I've got a half-sister named Tiffany, now."

"Tiffany, huh? That's pretty."

As the two girls talked, Theseus scampered by them, coming up to Ambrocious' side. After a few moments, he leapt up and perched atop the dog's head. Ambrocious, ever the coward, reacted instantly, throwing Sir Didymus off before dashing off to hide behind a rock.

"Ambrocious, you coward!" Sir Didymus called after his 'loyal steed'. "It was only the gremlin! Come back here, at once!" To emphasize the word _'once_ ,' Sir Didymus struck the side of the passageway with his staff. Unfortunately, that proved to be a mistake. Within seconds, a low rumbling sound filled the tunnels, steadily growing louder. The rumbling sound was immediately followed by a wave of dirt and stones that tumbled down from above everyone's heads. Even though everyone was able to react quickly and move out of the way, it was only by sheer luck that no one got buried in the falling rubble. When the dust settled, the group instantly saw that the passageway had caved in, blocking their way to the castle.

"Well, that was a _really_ good move, Didymus," Daedalus commented sarcastically. " _Now_ how do you suggest we get into the castle?"

"I do not approve of the tone thou are taking up, owl!" Sir Didymus replied shortly. "These tunnels weren't stable to begin with. Ye said so, yourself. Besides, all this sneaking around goes against everything I was taught during my time as a page. There's no valor in creeping along like a worm."

"And perhaps it's high time you learned not to rush into things blindly," Daedalus scolded. "It's a wonder to me that you managed to survive this long on…."

"Daedalus, Didymus! That's enough!" Stacey scolded. "Sarah's right. You two are worse than Högni and Hedinn Hjarrandason. Neither of you are helping right now."

Shaking his shaggy head, Ludo took that moment to step forward, letting out a series of bellows. Slowly, the rubble that blocked their way began to clear away, creating a new path for them to take.

"How'd you do that?" Stacey turned to Ludo in stunned confusion.

"Oh, that's right, you wouldn't know," Sarah realized. "The rocks are Ludo's friends. He's able to call them whenever he wants. I suppose the same can be said for asking them to move."

"Cu-chu!" Theseus' ears twitched in visible amazement.

"Wow! That's wild, Ludo!" Prometheus complemented, patting the yeti's arm appreciably. Stacey, on the other hand, was staring at Ludo incredulously.

"Couldn't you have done that before?" she asked.

"Be-fore?" Ludo blinked in obvious confusion.

"Yeah, at the gates to the Goblin City! Those walls were made of stone, weren't they? If you can make friends with rocks, why didn't you just ask those rocks that make up the castle walls to move aside and let us come through?"

Ludo simply stared at the Goblin Princess, the expression on his face revealing that doing that had never occurred to him. Seconds later, however, Stacey smiled and patted his hairy shoulder.

"Aw, never mind, Ludo. There's no sense in worrying about it now, is there? Besides, that might have attracted too much attention. No offense to Sir Didymus, but in this situation, the covert approach might be best. Now, come on. No sense in just standing here aimlessly."

As they continued on, Sarah glanced over at Stacey.

"Stacey, who's Högni and Hedinn Hjarrandason?" Stacey quietly laughed before replying.

"They were two kings from a group of islands called the Orkney Islands. According to the legend, they became enemies after Hedinn Hjarrandason abducted Högni's daughter and married her. Both kings began an endless war, with the dead from both sides being brought back to life every night to fight again the next day, forcing Högni and Hedinn Hjarrandason to spend all eternity in a battle neither can ever win."

"Oh," Sarah looked back at Daedalus and Sir Didymus. "Yes, I think you're right. Those two really _are_ like those two kings."

* * *

The castle's banquet hall was completely deserted, but signs of the goblins' sloppiness was evident everywhere. Food stains and spilled tankards covered every inch of the dining table and the floor. Even the walls had been splattered with remnants of the stew from the night before.

As the Underground's sun started to peek out over the horizon, its light fell upon an elaborate tapestry just as it was moving aside, allowing Sarah, Stacey, and the others to cautiously enter the room, being very careful not to make any noise that would alert Jareth or the goblins that they were there.

"Look at this place," Sarah commented, looking around in disgust at the spilled food everywhere. "Even Toby wasn't this sloppy as a baby."

"So, what should we do know?" Hoggle wondered.

"We've captured the castle, so the upper hand is ours!" Sir Didymus announced confidently. "Now, we can prepare an ambush, and capture Jareth and his goblins…."

"You mean, the goblins who outnumber us at least ten to one?" Daedalus inquired skeptically. "I don't think I like those odds."

"You _both_ have a good point," Sarah spoke up, wanting to prevent any arguing between the two before it could begin. "Ambush might be a good idea, but the goblins could overpower us, since it'll be too dangerous to have Ludo call the rocks in here."

As the others tried to come up with a plan of action, Stacey remained silent, looking around the banquet hall. Almost as if she was in a trance, she slowly stepped away from the group and left the room. Only Hoggle noticed her departure and he wordlessly went after her.

"Hey, where are the dungeons?" Prometheus suddenly suggested. "Maybe we could free everyone and have them help."

"That would certainly strengthen our forces," Daedalus mused in approval. "The goblins can't possibly fight against _everyone_ in the Labyrinth."

"Stacey's choice!" Ludo rumbled.

"Ludo's right," Sarah agreed. "Since Stacey is the princess, it really should be her call." It was only then that everyone noticed that Stacey and Hoggle were no longer there. "Stacey? Hoggle?"

"Where'd they disappear to?" Prometheus cried, looking around.

"Cu-chu?" Theseus' ears twitched.

"I'll go find them," Sir Didymus offered.

"No, I'll do it," Daedalus inputted. "I know this castle better than you, so I'll be able to find them much quicker."

"Daedalus, wait" Sarah stopped the owl as he spread his wings.

"Why?" Daedalus blinked. "We need to find Stacey and Hoggle. For all we know, the goblins may find them first, and then where will we be?"

"I know, I don't like it either," Sarah explained. "But like you said, you know the layout of the castle better than the rest of us. If we're going to free everyone Jareth captured, we'll need you to help us find the dungeons."

"You have a point," Daedalus relented reluctantly. "But once you're down there…"

"Once we find the dungeons, you can look for Stacey and Hoggle," Sarah agreed. "Now let's hurry. We don't know how much time we have."

* * *

As Daedalus was leading the others down to the dungeons, Stacey had come to a large wooden door in the middle of a secluded corridor. Instinctively drawn to it, she took hold of the cast-iron door handle and tried to open it, but to no avail. It was clear to see that this door hadn't been opened for years, and was now rusted shut.

"Need some help?" Hoggle asked, appearing at her side.

"Yeah," Stacey nodded, sending the dwarf a half-smile. "Thanks, Hoggle."

Working together, the pair managed to force the door open after a great effort. Once inside, Stacey and Hoggle looked around the room, which was filled with dust and cobwebs. Without a word, Stacey crossed the room to wipe away the thick layer of dust from the window, enabling the early morning light to shine in. With the help of the light, it became obvious that this room had once been a bright and cheerful place. Toys of every shape and size lined the floor, and on one side of the room was a magnificent playhouse that was a perfect replica of the castle.

"Cor, look at this place," Hoggle gaped, looking around in wonderment.

"Yeah," Stacey nodded in agreement, running a hand over a wooden rocking unicorn. "Someone must have put a _lot_ of work into this room."

"Stacey!" Hoggle cried suddenly, crossing the room. "Look at this!" Turning, Stacey saw Hoggle step up to an old but finely made crib. Very slowly, she joined him by the crib and looked inside. A moth-eaten blanket was lying in a messy lump at the foot of the crib, and a stuffed owl was encased in a prison of cobwebs. After a moment's hesitation, Stacey reached in and freed the stuffed owl, slightly shaking.

"I…" Stacey's voice trembled as she cradled the toy owl in her hand. "Hoggle, remember that feeling I said I used to get when reading my books back home? The feeling that there was something I was supposed to remember? I…I'm getting that feeling right now. I think…this was my nursery."

"I think you're right," Hoggle nodded. "And from the looks of things, it's been kept _exactly_ the same as you left it, before the Agnostic…." Hoggle trailed off, noticing Stacey's eyes were suddenly over bright. "Stacey?"

"I…I'm fine, Hoggle," Stacey insisted, looking the other way so he wouldn't see her tears. "I just need a moment, okay?"

"I understand," Hoggle nodded in sympathy. Without a word, he stepped back out of the room, allowing Stacey to be alone with her thoughts.

* * *

 **AN** : Sorry for the lack of action in this chapter. The story is actually winding down, so the next two chapters will cover the climax. I hope you enjoy it.


	12. Plan of Action

Daedauls glided through the castle corridors, searching for Stacey and Hoggle which he'd been doing since leaving Sarah and the others in the dungeons to free everyone. After a while, he soared around a corner and spotted Hoggle standing outside a room.

"There you are," Daedalus breathed in relief, landing next to him. "Where were you? And where's Stacey?"

"She's in there," Hoggle replied, gesturing to the room he was standing outside of. No sooner had he'd pointed, Stacey stepped out of her old nursery, completely dry-eyed.

"Hey, Daedalus," Stacey greeted. "Sorry for going off without telling anyone. I just…had to see."

"I understand," Daedalus nodded in sympathetic understanding, realizing which room they were standing in front of. "However, we really need to get back to the others. They're down in the dungeons freeing everyone who was imprisoned."

Together, the three of them headed off to rejoin the rest of their group, but as they were about to enter the dining hall en route to the dungeons, one of Jareth's goblins, who had snuck into the kitchen for an early breakfast, rounded the corner, nearly running right into them.

"Hortenz!" Daedalus cried, recognizing the goblin as everyone froze in shock. For what seemed like an eternity, Hortenz stared at the trio, who stared right back. But in an instant, the moment was broken. Simultaneously, Hortenz turned and dashed off to tell Jareth of their presence in the castle, and Stacey, Hoggle, and Daedalus hurried off in the opposite direction to warn Sarah and everyone else in the dungeons that they'd lost the element of surprise.

* * *

Down in the dungeons, Sarah, with the help of Ludo, Sir Didymus, Prometheus, and Theseus, had managed to free the prisoners, who were expressing their thanks to their rescuers. All except for the other Fireys, who were busy having a happy reunion with Prometheus.

At that moment, Daedalus flew into view, followed closely by Stacey and Hoggle.

"Where were you?" Sarah asked, turning to the latter two.

"Stacey needed a moment alone," Hoggle explained. "You see, we…found her old nursery."

"You did?" Sarah's eyes widened, looking over at Stacey in sympathetic concern. "Are you okay?"

"All things considered," Stacey shrugged, "I'm as good as _anyone_ could be when they find out there was a whole part of their life they were never aware of. But more about that later. When Daedalus was bringing us down here, we ran into one of Jareth's goblins."

"He was just as surprised as we were," Hoggle continued. "That's probably the only reason we got away, but he eventually snapped out of it and ran off to tell Jareth we're here."

"Then it's time to act," Sir Didymus stepped in. "Your army is awaiting your command, Princess Stacey."

"My _army_?" Stacey gaped at the Labyrinth denizens, who were all standing by. "No, I…I can't command an army."

"Don't be silly, Stacey," Daedalus urged from a nearby perch. "I recall you always doing splendidly in the tournaments organized by the Akron Chess Club. You've even won against players more experienced than you."

"This isn't a chess game, Daedalus," Stacey argued. "In chess, every piece can be sacrificed, as long as the king stays safe. I don't want to sacrifice _anyone_ here."

"A fine example of what I told ye all earlier," Sir Didymus elaborated for the freed prisoners. "A true leader, looking down on no one."

"Ludo follow Stacey," the yeti assured energetically.

"I'm with Ludo," Hoggle announced, placing a supportive hand on Stacey's arm. "We're all with you, no matter what happens."

"You guys," Stacey gazed at everyone, visibly overcome by their faith in her ability to lead and no one voicing any objections, before smiling widely. "All right, let's do it."

With newfound confidence, Stacey started moving around the dungeons, looking around at her surroundings.

"Okay, I think I'm getting a plan. But first, we need a diversion. Something to keep Jareth and his goblins away from here until we're ready for them."

"Leave it to me, my liege," Sir Didymus instantly volunteered with a respectful bow. Before anyone could say a word otherwise, the fox had ridden off on Ambrocious. Shaking her head at his impulsiveness, Stacey continued to execute her plan.

"All right then," she went on. "Ludo, you look like the strongest one here. I need you to move that cage door over there."

* * *

Sometime later, Jareth was moving through the castle, his entire goblin army flanking him.

"You are _sure_ you saw the dwarf and Stacey _inside_ the castle?" Jareth questioned Hortenz.

"Yes, your highness," Hortenz nodded vigorously. "They were right here, with that owl, Daedalus. Never thought we'd see him again. I thought he had left the Underground for…"

"Shut up," Jareth cut him off shortly, not even sparing a glance at the goblin. "Unless you can tell me where they went…"

Before Jareth could continue, Sir Didymus sprang out of nowhere, sinking his teeth into Jareth's leg. Before the Goblin King could retaliate, Sir Didymus had dashed away and mounted Ambrocious once again, riding off to draw them away from the dungeons.

"I've had _enough_ of that fox!" Jareth glared, beginning to lead the pursuit of Sir Didymus.

* * *

Meanwhile, down in the dungeons, Stacey was busy digging a hole into the floor, with the help of Theseus and Hoggle.

"You think this is goin' to work, Stacey?" Hoggle asked pausing to glance over at the Goblin Princess.

"It should," Stacey answered without looking up from her task. "I'm actually borrowing this trick from a book I read once. However, it _does_ need to be tweaked a bit for us, since the situation in the book is slightly different than the one we're in. Still, it worked in the book, so hopefully it will work for us, too. When this is over, Hoggle, I'll be sure to tell you all about the book I got this from."

"I'd like that," Hoggle agreed, sharing a brief but warm smile with Stacey.

As they pair went back to digging the hole, Sarah stepped up from further back in the dungeons, with Daedalus at her side.

"Everything's set, Stacey," she announced. "Prometheus and the other Fireys finally managed to find a rope long enough to be used."

"Good, because we're just about finished here, too," Stacey acknowledged, wiping the dirt off her hands.

"Now someone has to go and tell Sir Didymus he can lead Jareth and the Goblins down here." Daedalus noted.

"I'll go," Hoggle offered without hesitation.

"No, Hoggle, I don't think you should," Stacey shook her head.

"Why?" Hoggle turned to her, clearly hurt and insulted. "I may have been a coward two years ago, but I'm not anymore."

"It has nothing to do with how brave you are," Stacey replied, frowning. "I still don't think it's a good idea for you to go."

"You let _Sir Didymus_ run off," Hoggle argued. "You didn't stop _him_."

"First of all," Stacey fired back, her voice growing stern and impatient, "Sir Didymus ran off before I could stop him. And secondly, the reason why I don't want you to go is because I don't want you getting hurt, or worse. Seriously, Hoggle, what kind of person, or princess, would I be if I let my friend run off and risk getting _killed_?"

Almost immediately after she'd finished speaking, Stacey froze, realizing exactly what she'd just said. Sarah, Daedalus and Hoggle's expressions also registered their surprise as her words registered.

"Did…did you just say… _friend_?" Hoggle asked in a whisper. Stacey, however, didn't reply, focusing her gaze on the hole they'd just dug.

"I'll go with him, Stacey." Daedalus volunteered, knowing it wouldn't be wise to push Stacey into repeating what she'd just revealed. "I promise I'll make sure he stays safe." Stacey remained silent, staring blankly into the hole, but she gave a slow nod of agreement. Wordlessly, Daedalus and Hoggle went off together to inform Sir Didymus that everything was ready.

"Stacey?" Sarah spoke hesitantly.

"Just make sure the others are ready, Sarah," Stacey said, sliding into the hole. We've only got one shot at this."

With a sigh, Sarah turned and headed back to where everyone else was waiting, glancing back at Stacey only once as Theseus helped her cover the hole with a camouflaging tarp, hiding it from view.

* * *

 **AN:** A short chapter, I know, but the story is winding down now. Only three more chapters to go. Please let me know what you think.


	13. The Dungeon Battle

Sir Didymus laughed in exuberance as he led Jareth and the goblins on a wild goose chase throughout the castle, continually dodging sling stones and spears. However, as he turned round one corner, he found himself facing a dead end, enabling the goblins to trap him.

"Well, nowhere left for you to run now, is there?" Jareth taunted, approaching the cornered fox. In a flash, Jareth lifted Sir Didymus up roughly by the back of his coat, ignoring the brave creature's furious attempts to strike back with his staff. "I've been looking forward to a chance to take care of _you_ for a _very_ long time."

Before Jareth could do anything to the fox, Daedalus appeared out of nowhere and flew at Jareth's face, forcing him to stumble backwards, dropping Sir Didymus in the process. As Jareth fought to keep his footing, Sir Didymus caught sight of Hoggle standing at the corner of the hall, waving over to him. The fox quickly hurried over to his friend.

"Everythin's ready," Hoggle told Sir Didymus. "Hurry and lead them to the dungeons."

"I shall lead them all to their fate, or die trying," Sir Didymus vowed.

"GET THE FOX!" Jareth's angry voice cried out as he caught sight of them.

Snarling at the goblins who had started to chase after him again, Sir Didymus leapt up upon Ambrocious' back as the sheepdog ran past and proceeded to lead Jareth and the goblin army down to the dungeons. Hoggle moved quickly to get out of the way of the approaching goblins, but as he started to move, one of the goblins fired a spear in Sir Didymus' direction. The spear missed the small fox completely, but it went right into Hoggle's side. A stunned gurgle escaping from his throat, he slid down to the ground, clutching at his injury.

As Jareth and the Goblins raced off, barely noticing the fallen dwarf, Daedalus landed at his side, his eyes filled with horrified shock.

* * *

By the time Jareth and the goblins had made it to the dungeons, Sir Didymus was no longer in sight. The Goblin King's face was contorted with irritated fury as he led the goblins through the deserted corridors, not even noticing that the cells he was passing were completely empty.

Just as he was about to vocalize his frustration at losing the fox, he turned a corner and spotted Theseus standing by a mound of dirt.

"CU_CHU!" Theseus screeched, his fur standing on end. Slowly, the gremlin started backing away, hissing at Jareth as he approached the creature in a threatening manner. However, as Jareth stepped foot on the mound of dirt, it instantly gave way, revealing it as a shallow pit trap. Letting out a shout of alarm, he stumbled into the pit trap, amidst a cloud of dirt and debris. As Jareth wiped his hand across his eyes violently to clear away the fallen dirt marring his vision, he started as someone suddenly tackled him, pinning him to the ground. When his vision was clear enough to see again, he realized the person holding him down was Stacey, who was glaring at him in hatred.

"NOW!" Stacey called over her shoulder. In an instant, the dungeons were flooded with light as Prometheus and the other Fireys ignited the wall-mounted touches. With the illumination from the torches, the entire force of the Labyrinth's creatures could be seen standing behind Theseus, whose fur was still standing on end. Stepping forward, Sir Didymus swung his staff against a rope that had been tied to a nearby peg. His action undid the knot, causing the cage door that the rope had been holding up to swing down, smashing into half of the goblin army and knocking most of them out. Taking advantage of the confusion that followed, the Labyrinth's denizens charged forward and began fighting with the goblins that hadn't been knocked out or immobilized by the swinging cage door.

In the pit trap, Jareth had managed to shove Stacey off him, transforming into his owl form. Before Stacey could grab hold of him, he'd flown off, abandoning the goblin army to the ongoing battle. Growling in frustration, Stacey scrambled out of the pit trap and started to follow the retreating Goblin King. However, she stopped in her tracks when she noticed Ludo was being outnumbered by a large handful of goblins, which were all piling onto him. Seeing that no one else was able to help him in the mist of the battle against the goblin army, she moved toward the yeti, dodging around various creatures in their individual fights, including Sir Didymus, who appeared to be defending a female fox from two opponents at once with impressive ease for someone of his size, and the Fireys throwing tiny balls of fire at a group of gobins, who were trying to escape the onslaught.

Upon reaching Ludo, Stacey started pulling the goblins off him. One of the goblins, upon landing on the ground after being swatted away, retaliated by striking out at Stacey's left shoulder with the flat side of his sword. Frowning down at him, Stacey lifted the goblin clean off the ground, yanking away his sword in the process.

"You're lucky I can't feel anything in that shoulder," she commented. In response, the goblin kicked out aimlessly, with one of the spikes on his boot scraping against the spot on Stacey's other shoulder, right over the spot where she'd been hit by the Tarasque's tail. Stacey cried out in startled pain as the wound opened again and started to bleed. As if alerted by her cry, Theseus appeared out of nowhere and sank his teeth into the goblin's arm. The goblin howled in pain and tried to pull the gremlin off, but Theseus hung on, sinking his teeth in even deeper.

"Stacey!"

At the sound of Sarah's voice calling her name, Stacey looked up from wiping away the blood that was oozing from her wounded shoulder and turned to see Sarah, apparently trying to keep a pair of blue-furred worms out of harm's way.

"We can handle things here!" Sarah called out. "Go after Jareth!"

"All right!" Stacey called back. "See you on the other side, Sarah! And be careful!" With one last glance at everyone who was fighting in the battle, Stacey turned and hurried off after Jareth.

* * *

In an empty room just off from the dungeons, Jareth was crouching down on the floor, clutching his head as if he had a terrible headache. His breathing was heavy, and almost labored.

"No," he muttered to himself, squeezing his eyes shut, a solitary tear pushing its way past his eyelid. "I can't let this happen. Not now. Not after everything I did to prevent it."

The Goblin King was so lost in thought; he didn't even notice Stacey had entered the room, glowering down at him in anger.

"I want answers, Jareth," she demanded. At her words, Jareth jumped slightly, gazing back at her in shock.

"You. Stacey," he gaped, his eyes wide with an emotion Stacey could not identify. "Why…why did you…? You shouldn't have come back."

"What's wrong, Goblin King," Stacey snarled. "Were you hoping you saw the last of me after Daedalus took me away?"

"Stacey," Jareth sighed. "My daughter, I…"

"NO!" Stacey yelled, anger and fury radiating off her. "I'm _not_ your daughter! I haven't been your daughter since you abandoned me, chucking me out into the…Aboveground! Or whatever you call the world I grew up in! And I'm especially not your daughter now! Not after all the things you've been doing! Just because you're king, that's no excuse to bring pain to the creatures you rule over. I know better than _anyone_ how it feels to be treated like that! I had to endure it my _whole life_!" The anger never leaving her face, Stacey started to step forward, but Jareth cried out, holding out a hand to stop her.

"Keep away!" he exclaimed in a panic. "I do not want to harm you."

"You don't want to harm me?" Stacey laughed derisively. "You have a very strange way of showing it. After all that you've done…."

 **"** You don't understand!" Jareth spoke urgently. "It's here. In my head. It wants to hurt you. To _kill_ you. It wants to destroy _everything_." Stacey took a while to reply, staring at Jareth in dawning understanding. Was he trying to say that something was controlling him?

" _What_ , Jareth?" Stacey pushed. " _What_ wants to destroy everything? What are you talking about?"

Jareth did not answer the question, and simply staggered to his feet, an action that appeared to be rather difficult for him. Still breathing heavily, he looked desperately at Stacey.

"Jareth, answer me!" Stacey cried, starting to get worried.

"I…I don't have much time," Jareth gasped. It sounded as if coherent speech was a huge effort. "Stacey, I can't fight it for much longer. For that reason, I can no longer stay in the Labyrinth. It's…not safe. But _you_ must stay. You are my blood, and I leave you to rule in my place."

Turning away, Jareth staggered over to an open window Stacey had not noticed before.

"You must remain here, Stacey," Jareth repeated. "Remain here, where you are safe." Stacey was about to ask what he was talking about once again, but never got the chance. Before she could say anything, Jareth had transformed into his owl form and took flight, soaring out of the window and out of sight.

For the longest time, Stacey stood in the room alone, staring out the window Jareth had flown out of, feeling frustrated and confused after so many of her questions were left unanswered.

"Stacey?"

Sarah's voice pulled Stacey out of her befuddled thoughts. Turning, she saw Sarah standing in the doorway, accompanied by Ludo and a few of the goblins.

"Sarah," Stacey breathed, smiling in relief. "Is everyone else all right?"

"Yes, the goblins were defeated," Sarah returned the smile. "Sir Didymus and Prometheus are down with them now, helping everyone that was injured in the fight."

At that moment, one of the goblins stepped forward. Stacey instantly recognized him as the goblin who had struck her wounded shoulder during the battle.

"You… you are the young Princess Stacey," the goblin whispered in disbelief. "You have returned, after all these years. I see it now. Your eyes; they are _exactly_ the same." Without another word, the goblin suddenly dropped to the ground in an unmistakable attempt at a groveling bow.

"Oh, don't do that," Stacey sighed, visibly uncomfortable at being bowed to.

"Forgive me, your highness," the goblin begged, showing no sign that he heard her. "I did not recognize you."

"Just get up," Stacey replied, crouching down and gently pulling the goblin up out of his bow. "Really, there's no need to bow to me. Actually, I'd prefer it if you didn't. If you _really_ want to make it up to me, you can return to the dungeons and help care for the wounded."

"As you wish, your majesty," the goblin agreed, following Stacey out of the room.

"Yeah, and I'd appreciate it if you skipped the formality, too." Stacey sighed, looking rather embarrassed now.

"Well, you _are_ the Goblin Princess, Stacey," Sarah pointed out as they all made their way back to the dungeons.

"Yeah, I know that, Sarah," Stacey gave a half smile. "But I've only known it for a few hours. Let me tell you, it's very weird to be just a carpenter's adopted daughter one day and have people calling you _'princess'_ the next. I'm not going to get used to this very fast, if at all."

* * *

 **AN:** I hope no one is disappointed with the dungeon battle scene. I tried to make it as detailed as possible. Only two more chapters to go...


	14. Aftermath

Sometime later, Stacey and Sarah were leading the way out of the dungeons, following one of the goblins' directions to the castle's infirmary, where everyone who was injured during the Dungeon Battle could be properly treated. Following close behind was the entire goblin army, along with everyone who had been freed from the dungeons. Theseus' tail had been placed in a temporary splint, and his paw was bandaged, but he was still as happy as ever. Sir Didymus' good eye was nearly swollen shut, and he was accepting the help of the female fox he'd defended in the Dungeon Battle in navigating through the corridors. Everyone else was in fairly good condition, with the occasional limp or arm in a sling.

As they walked, Sarah started to notice that Stacey was looking over her shoulder, scanning the large assortment of creatures that were following them. There was an expression of anxiety on her face.

"Stacey, what's wrong?" Sarah asked.

"I just…couldn't help noticing someone's missing," Stacey replied. "Um, hey, Sir Didymus? Hoggle told you that we were ready for you to lead the goblins to us, didn't he?"

"That he did, my liege," Sir Didymus announced.

"Well," Stacey turned to face the others, "has anyone seen him since then? I didn't see him once during the battle. And I certainly don't see him now."

"Now that you mention it," Prometheus frowned, "I didn't see him at _all_ since he helped you build that pit trap."

"I hope nothing happened to him," Sarah spoke in concern.

"Yeah," Stacey nodded as she reached the top of a stairwell. "That makes two of…."

Before she could finish her sentence, Stacy froze in place, her face filled with horror. Moments later, an anguished cry slipped from her throat, much like that of a wounded animal. With no further warning, she broke out into a run. For a moment, Sarah looked after her, confused about what had upset Stacey, but then she saw exactly what made her scream. Letting out a horrified gasp, Sarah hurried after Stacy, joining her at an unmoving Hoggle's side. The spear was still buried in his side.

As Ludo, Prometheus, Theseus and Sir Didymus, with the help of the female fox, raced over as well, Stacey dropped to her knees, her eyes over-bright as she gazed down at the dwarf. Daedalus, who had been standing nearby, took that moment to step forward, guilt shining in his yellow eyes.

"I'm so very sorry, Stacey," he apologized. "It happened so fast, I didn't realize it happened until…."

"I don't blame you, Daedalus," Stacey spoke slowly, not taking her eyes off Hoggle's still form as she took his hand in hers, gripping it tightly. "It's _my_ fault. I should never have let him go off. Hoggle, you stupid, brave dwarf! You're such an idiot! Why'd you have to run off like that? I told you I didn't want you to…." Stacey finally broke down, and began to quietly sob.

"Cu-chu," Theseus uttered, his ears drooping in sadness.

"Theseus, you can heal him, right?" Sarah asked, grasping at straws. "You healed Stacey when she was injured earlier."

"It's not the same," Daedalus sighed mournfully. "Theseus can only purify, not heal. Stacey was poisoned by the Tarasque, so the gremlin's touch could help her then. But this is a physical injury, so there's nothing to purify."

As this conversation was happening, a mustached goblin stepped forward.

"Your highness?" he spoke hesitantly. "I think… I could be of some help."

"Are you sure you'd be able to…" Stacey began, her worry overshadowing her discomfort at being addressed as ' _your highness_ '.

"It's all right, Stacey," Daedalus assured. "I know this goblin well. He's seen quite a few battles in his day, so he'd be the best one to ask about matters such as this."

"First," the goblin said, turning to Ludo, "I'll need you to hold him still for me." Ludo slowly trudged forward and carefully placed his hairy arms down on Hoggle's shoulders, holding the dwarf still. The goblin took firm hold of the spear handle and snapped it in two, making sure to not disrupt the part that pierced Hoggle's side. Stacey immediately pulled out a clean handkerchief out of her pocket and wrapped it firmly around the base of the spear, creating an improvised anchor so the goblin could secure a bandage around Hoggle's middle without disturbing the spear, thereby keeping it in place until they had the means to remove it safely.

As the bandage was tied tightly, Hoggle let out a gurgling sound of pain and weakly opened his eyes.

"Hoggle, does it hurt?" Sarah asked gently.

"I'm cold," Hoggle gurgled, shivering from the loss of blood.

"It's okay, Hoggle," Stacey insisted, holding his hand a little tighter as she spoke. "You'll be just fine. Don't even think of giving in to this injury. You're needed here."

"Me?" Hoggle gazed up at her feebly. "I'm just the reject from Snow White."

"Of course you're not!" Stacey choked back another sob, her face contorting with guilt. "I'm so sorry I ever said that. You're my friend, Hoggle. And I'm even sorrier that it took me so long to realize it." A slow smile appeared on Hoggle's face, but he then closed his eyes.

"We're going to have to get him up to the infirmary, now," the mustached goblin explained gently. "If we're going to get this spear out, we need to do it properly, in a place where we have the antiquate supplies."

"Yeah, I realize that," Stacey nodded, reaching out to brush some of Hoggle's hair off his forehead. "But we need to be careful in moving him. Ludo, I need you and Sarah to help me put together a stretcher. It would be too risky to carry Hoggle without one."

"Yeah," Ludo nodded, detaching himself from the crowd who were watching nearby, immediately helping Sarah construct a stretcher out of lance handles and an old tapestry.

* * *

The morning after the Dungeon Battle found Stacey out on the balcony attached to the throne room, deep in thought while looking out at the Underground as the sun rose over the Labyrinth. Theseus was curled up next to her like a faithful pet cat, but apart from him, she was completely alone.

As Stacey sat quietly, Sarah stepped into the room, accompanied by the mustached goblin who'd helped treat Hoggle's wound the day before.

"Princess Stacey," the goblin began, announcing his presence. "I brought Sarah up from the bedchambers, as you requested."

"Thank you, Kedem" Stacey acknowledged with a nod, getting up and stepping back into the throne room. "Now, if you'd like, you can head down to the kitchens and have some breakfast with the other goblins. I think I can smell some freshly baked bread and corn soup."

"Yes, thank you, your highness." Kedem started to bow, but Stacey suddenly made a halting noise.

"Ah-ah-ah! What did we talk about?"

"Um, right," Kedem quickly stopped himself in mid-bow. "I mean, thank you. Breakfast sounds good." The goblin then gave a rather awkward wave, as if he'd long ago forgotten how do that particular gesture, before stepping out to retrieve his breakfast with the other goblins. For a few moments, neither Stacey nor Sarah said a word, until Stacey broke the silence.

"It's strange," she began. "When we first came to the Labyrinth four days ago, who would have thought I would end up here, as the Goblin Princess?"

"Well, I suppose it does explain a lot," Sarah pointed out. "Even when you thought you _were_ just an ordinary person, a part of you hadn't forgotten who you were. Like Phoebe and those other two said, some of your memories of this world were coming out every time you drew a goblin on your homework, or read books about things like fairies and unicorns."

"I suppose you're right," Stacey nodded. "But you're tied to this world, too, because of your connection to my mother. And that is why I think you should have this."

Sarah watched as Stacey lifted her hand, and she was suddenly seized by a distant memory of that night two years ago, when Jareth had appeared in her old house after Toby had been taken. The way Stacey was holding her hand out now was almost exactly the way Jareth had been holding his when he produced the crystal out of thin air. This time, however, it was not a crystal that appeared in Stacey's hand, but a silver pendent. The pendant's charm bore an engraving of the universal symbol for a labyrinth, etched in gold.

"It's going to take me a while to get used to the fact I can do this, now," Stacey chuckled, presenting Sarah with the pendant. "Anyway, this pendant is yours, now. It only looks like a simple pendant, but it's actually more like a portable gateway, between your world and the Underground. If you ever want to come back, Sarah, even if it's just for a short visit, all you have to do is hold the pendant in your hand and wish for it. If you do that, you'll be transported back to this world."

"Thank you, Stacey," Sarah smiled, placing the pendant around her neck. "So, I guess this means….this is goodbye."

"Yeah," Stacey nodded. "But not forever, I hope."

"Oh, no," Sarah grinned. "Definitely not forever." It was with mutual smiles that Stacey and Sarah hugged in farewell.

"Goodbye, Sarah," Stacey whispered. "I'll miss you, my friend."

"I'll miss you, too," Sarah agreed, stepping back.

"Cu-Chu!" The two girls looked down to see Theseus blinking up at Sarah, twitching his rabbit-like ears.

"Don't worry, I didn't forget you," Sarah laughed, bending over to pat the gremlin's head. "Bye, Theseus."

"Well," Stacey sighed, the smile still on her face. "You better get a move on. I suppose you'd want to say goodbye to Ludo and Sir Didymus before you go back. I think you'll find them outside with Daedalus, by the fountain in the Goblin City."

"Yeah, thanks," Sarah nodded, her smile fading slightly. "But…what about…?" Sarah, instead of replying, glanced over to the corridor she knew led to the castle's infirmary.

"It's alright, Sarah," Stacey replied, knowing what she wanted to ask. "I'll let him know you said goodbye to him, too."

"Thank you," Sarah said, starting to head out of the throne room. "Goodbye, Stacey."

"Goodbye to you too," Stacey repeated. "And…Sarah? When you go back, do me a favor. Tell Wayne…. Tell him I finally found where I belong."

"I will," Sarah promised.

After Sarah had left to find her other friends, Stacey stood where she was for a long time, but then she left the throne room, too, heading down a certain corridor. Upon entering the castle infirmary, she found that it was almost completely empty. Only one bed was occupied, and it was shielded from view by white sheets suspended from the ceiling. It was this bed that Stacey approached. Pulling the improvised curtain aside, she sat down at Hoggle's bedside. The dwarf was tucked snugly in the bed, his vest and skullcap lying in a neat pile on the bedside table. The only sign of life coming from him was the subtle rise and fall of his chest. For a full minute, Stacey simply sat by the bed, gazing down at him, but then she took his hand in hers, holding it tightly.

"They say that people in deep sleeps can still hear it when they are spoken to," Stacey began. "I never really believed it, but I'm willing to try now. Everyone's waiting for you to wake up. Even now, we're planning a feast to commemorate the new regime. It would mean a lot to me if you were there, Hoggle. After all, if it wasn't for you, I don't think I ever would have made it this far. You were the one who restored my faith in friendship. For that reason, you are my dearest friend."

With Stacey's free hand, she took a basin of water from the table, which had been sitting next to Hoggle's vest and skullcap. Using the cloth that had been left in the basin, she carefully started to bathe Hoggle's forehead. As she worked, she once again started to sing the song she'd began teaching Hoggle, just three days earlier, hoping that it would make the dwarf open his eyes.

 _When you're weary, feeling small,_

 _When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;_

 _I'm on your side._

 _When times get rough_

 _And friends just can't be found,_

 _Like a bridge over troubled water_

 _I will lay me down._

 _Like a bridge over troubled water_

 _I will lay me down._

No matter how hard Stacey tried to continue singing after that point, she found that she couldn't. The lump in her throat had grown too large for her to even speak. Still, Hoggle continued to sleep on.

* * *

 **AN:** Very important safety tip: if you see a wounded person with a knife or other embedded object still sticking out of them, whatever you do, do not try to pull it out yourself. That object is essentially acting like a plug, holding in the blood. If you remove it, the injured person could bleed out. Please, leave the removal of such objects to trained professionals.

Only one more chapter left. Thank you for reading this story


	15. The New Regime

Nearly a month had passed since Stacey and Sarah had come to the Labyrinth and Jareth fled to an unknown location. In the main square of the Goblin City, multiple tables had been set up, each one adorned with a wide assortment of dishes. Around the tables sat the entire goblin army, along with all the other denizens from the Labyrinth. Everyone at the tables were enjoying friendly conversations, pausing every now and then to taste the meal before them; roasted chicken with roast potatoes, turnips, beef barley soup, fresh bread, various cheeses, smoked fish, and multiple pies and pastries for dessert.

Towards the end of the feast, everyone fell silent when Stacey, who had been sitting at the head table, stood up to give the speech she'd nervously planned for.

"I hope you'll all forgive me if this is not what you would expect to hear from me," she began, "but please bear in mind I have not had much practice speaking in front of a group this size. And I've had even less practice in fulfilling the duties I now have as the Goblin Princess. But also know that I'm going to do my absolute best, in both of those tasks.

"I realize that many of you are used to how things were when Jareth was here, but I can honestly say that I am not him. And I truly hope I never will be, either. From now on, things around here are going to be very different. I suppose it's a good thing I grew up in the care of a carpenter, because I remember what it's like being a, for want of a better term, a commoner. For those of you who once were Jareth's underlings, and perhaps those who were once bullied by him, I will _never_ treat you like you are beneath me. If there is ever a moment when you feel you are not treated with courtesy and fairness, you may come directly to me, and I will do all in my power to change that.

"This feast you have all taken part in is more than my way of meeting all of you. It is also my way of expressing my wish that everyone who calls the Labyrinth home will be welcome here, always. From this day on, I intend to be a princess who is just and fair, who will treat everyone with the grace and dignity they, as living beings, deserve. I promise you all I will rule with my heart, and no one who lives within the Labyrinth will know discomfort and cruelty.

"And as my first set of royal decrees as the Goblin Princess, I am reinstating my oldest friend, Daedalus, as the official scribe of the Labyrinth. As for Ludo the yeti and Theseus the gremlin, it is my wish that they both become the chief healers in the first public infirmary in the Goblin City. Sir Didymus, if he consents to take up the role, shall become captain of the guard, and I trust he will prove to be a brave and noble leader of the goblin army."

Stacey paused for a moment in her speech before turning to the chair positioned next to her, where Hoggle had been sitting quietly. A large bandage was wrapped tightly around his upper body, but it was estimated that these bandages could be removed for good by the following morning, since his injury from the stray spear was nearly healed.

"Hoggle," Stacey began, "you know I wish to express my gratitude to you, for all you've done for me since I returned to the Labyrinth."

"I know, Princess Stacey," Hoggle nodded, meeting her eyes. "But I don't think there's anythin' I can do in that castle that would be of any use. I'd be content to just remain living in the gardens outside the door to the Labyrinth. Even with those annoyin' fairies, I still enjoy carin' for the rosebushes there."

"Well, then," Stacey replied after a pause. "If that is truly what you want, then I completely understand. From this day on, you will be the royal gardener of the Labyrinth. As such, you will be free to care for your gardens as long as you wish. However, I would also like you to uphold the responsibilities as my trusted adviser. After all, you know more about the Labyrinth then I do. I need someone like that to help me rule over it to the best of my ability, and I can think of no better candidate for that job than you." Hoggle did not reply for a moment, stunned into silence by Stacey's words.

"I say that is a fine choice," Sir Didymus announced from his seat next to Lady Berdine, the female fox he'd befriended during the Dungeon Battle.

"That's the first thing he's said that I agree with," Daedalus commented.

"Cu-Chu!" Theseus exclaimed, his ears twitching in approval.

"Hoggle do good," Ludo rumbled in agreement.

"So, Hoggle?" Stacey smiled warmly at the dwarf. "Will you agree to becoming my trusted adviser in addition to your duties as royal gardener?"

"Princess Stacey," Hoggle sighed, glancing away. "I really don't think I'd make much of an adviser to you."

"But I do," Stacey replied, reaching out to give his shoulder a gentle, supportive squeeze. "And I'd prefer it if you just called me Stacey, if you don't mind." Once again, Hoggle took a moment to reply.

"I still think you'd be unhappy with this decision…Stacey," he finally answered. "But, if it is your wish, I will do the best I can to be your adviser."

"And that is all I ask, Hoggle, my friend." Stacey smiled widely, crouching down to hug the dwarf tightly.

From his perch nearby, Daedalus clicked his beak in satisfaction before glancing off at the setting sun. As pleased as he was that things had turned out the way they did, he could not stop himself from wondering. What exactly _had_ caused Jareth to impose exile on himself the way he did? And where was he at this exact moment? Deep down, the small owl had a strong feeling that they would all find out very soon.

* * *

 **AN:** So that concludes this story. For those of you who have stuck with it to this point, I hope it was to your liking. Be on the lookout for the next installment,  The Power of Innocence, which will began posting sometime next year.


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